


Merlin's Girl

by Aaronna



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hurt Merlin, Immortal Merlin, Merlin is a father, Merlin!whump, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Nice Morgana, Possession, Pregnant Gwen, Scar reveal, Widower Merlin, magic knights
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2018-07-15 05:07:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 36
Words: 89,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7208951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaronna/pseuds/Aaronna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin was married at a very early age to Will's sister. She died giving birth to Merlin's daughter. 10 years later Merlin talks about her when explaining what girl he was seeing when he got poisoned by Morgana.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally posted on FFN, so please forgive the shifting of writing styles. Also, I have no proofreader/beta for my works, so feel free to point out errors in spelling, grammar, and story continuity.

"I still can't believe how lucky I was. I owe that boy my life and I don't know who he was or where he's from. You need to make sure you give him a decent burial," Arthur states sadly.

"I'll do that. If you'll allow me the time," Merlin pipes in as he serves the Royals their dinner.

"Oh, so you can go and visit that girl again." Arthur replied giving his friend an odd look similar to the one his wife was giving him.

"What?" Asks a thoroughly confused warlock.

"The girl." repeats the monarch.

"Don't have one." Merlin states tersely.

"That's not what Guinevere tells me." Arthur says accusingly.

At this statement Merlin pauses, then turns to look at Gwen. She smiles at him, letting him know that she had concocted an awkward story at his expense to explain his absence.

"So, why don't you tell us all about her?"

Merlin pours Arthur's wine, then looks at Gwen again. She holds out her glass and raises her eyebrows, as if daring him to expose her.

"Right." Merlin states dryly as he pours Gwen's drink.

"And why you're walking with a limp." Arthur continues with a look that showed both embarrassment and reluctance.

Gwen quirks one of her eyebrows at Merlin and they stare each other down.

Finally Merlin breaks down and tells them a story.

"Do you remember my friend Will back in Ealdor? The one who… Well he had a sister. When I was 15 my mother got very sick. I couldn't manage the fields by myself and no one wanted to help the … Well to help the son of a woman who never married. Will was torn. He could help me and help his mother and sister, but the village would look at it as him as a dosser. His mother and mine were best friends before I was born, so she decided that I should marry her daughter and share the duties of both farms… Bridget and I were married on the summer solstice. Mother got better and moved in with Will and this mum, leaving us newlyweds alone in the hut I grew up in."

Arthur and Gwen's faces wore identical looks of shock. The queen's was because she realized that Merlin had a way around her ploy, and Arthur's was due to the thought of Merlin having lied all these years.

"Hang on. Are telling me you have been married over 10 years I never knew!?" Arthur bellowed.

Merlin stared at the floor as he replied softly, "no"

Arthur Glanced at his wife and saw the confusion he felt in her eyes. "What do you mean 'no'?" He asked cautiously.

"She died not long before I came to Camelot" Merlin answered as a tear ran down his face.

"Oh Merlin" Gwen said softly, playing the part of a concerned friend for Arthur's benefit.

Arthur was even more confused at this point. "If you weren't with your wife the last few days who is the girl?"

Merlin's next statement shocker the royals completely. "My daughter."

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

"YOUR WHAT?! You have a daughter?! I have been to Ealdor with you several times over the years, how have I never met the child?" Arthur bellowed as he began pacing the room. There were two reasons for his pacing. One, he wanted to move around to release the fury he felt at his friend keeping such a large secret from him and two, Merlin looked like he was about to collapse, so Arthur forced him into his now vacated seat.

"She was sent to live with her mother's aunt after Bridget died giving birth to her. I was in no place to raise a child and Silvian had recently lost her own baby and was willing to raise mine as her own. At least until a few days ago…" Merlin said quietly as tears ran freely down his pale face.

Arthur noticed how pain was in his servant's eyes and asked his next question with a bit more care. "What happened?"

"Silvian lived almost a day's walk from Camelot, but I received word three days ago that she died a little over a week ago and my daughter had run off into the forest." As he said this he pulled out a small piece of rolled parchment and handed it to Arthur. The message had been sent by Silvian's sister-in-law who knew the real story behind the child. "I rushed off to help in the search…"

Arthur's eyes softened as he read the note. "So that's why you ran off."

All he received was a teary nod. In truth, Merlin had also received word that the druids were helping search for the daughter of Emrys. The druids told him they would keep him apprised so he could continue his duty of protecting the Once and Future King, but Arthur didn't need to know that.

"Did you find her?" the king inquired gently.

He was surprised by the amount of pain and sadness he saw in his friend's blue eyes. That look tore Arthur's heart as he realized his friend had not found his child.

"Why did you stop looking for her?" Gwen asked suddenly, causing both men to jump as they had been so caught up in the story that they had forgotten she was present.

"I heard that Morgana had bought off one of the Sarrum's men in order to assassinate Arthur and weaken Camelot so she could take over once again… I rushed back as quick as I could, but…" Merlin trailed off as he gently prodded his right leg near a new stain the Arthur quickly realized was a slowly weeping wound. He was about to lecture Merlin about being clumsy and calling Gaius to deal with his friend's injury when Merlin continued his story.

"I should have stayed the night and continued at first light, but I wanted to stop the assassin and return to my search. I set off back for Camelot a little before dusk. The moon was bright so I pressed on through most of the night, until I fell into a ravine after tripping over a root when the moon was hidden by a cloud. I woke about midday. I bound my leg and continued on. I got back just in time to meet the boy that saved you before he died…"

Arthur was shocked. He thought the boy had died before anyone had been able to reach him. He had a million questions for Merlin about the boy but held his tongue as he realized Merlin had not only stopped searching for his daughter in order to protect his king, he had also been injured, eaten very little, and had only slept when he had been knocked out in the fall. Merlin needed a friend right now and Arthur planned on being there for him as he had always been there for the king.

Arthur told Merlin he could finish his story after Gaius had looked at his leg. Excusing himself from Gwen and the meal which laid forgotten on the table, Arthur helped Merlin to Gaius's chamber and watched as the old physician check his ward's injuries. Not only did Merlin have a nasty gash on his leg, he also had a concussion, two cracked ribs, a low fever, and was severely dehydrated.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Overnight Merlin's fever spiked. The next morning he was delirious. Arthur sent Gwaine and Percival out to village where Merlin's daughter was raised to help in the search. He didn't tell them the girl was Merlin's child, instead he told them she was the niece of Merlin's best friend back in Ealdor who had died protecting the future king of Camelot. The two knight assumed this was Arthur's way of repaying the young man.

Arthur also sent Leon to Ealdor to bring Hunith back to Camelot to help with her son.

Once Hunith had settled in, Arthur told her what Merlin had said the night he returned to Camelot. She was shocked that her son had share with the king and queen the story of his short marriage. As it turned out, even Gaius didn't know that Merlin was a widower. Hunith had never written about her son getting married. Hunith decided that since the king knew the majority of the story she would let him in on some of the details.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Arthur felt ashamed. He had teased Merlin for nearly 10 years about his neckerchiefs, but now he understood. Those pieces of cloth had once been Bridget's head scarves and when she died he took to wearing them around his neck in remembrance. Arthur decided that he would be careful with those scarves from now on.

Hunith was proud of the young king as she saw the guilt at his previous act show in his eyes as he told her his plan. She knew her son's faith in the man was justified. She knew that Merlin had not told the king that the girl was raised mostly by the druids nor her granddaughter's name. She didn't know if it was because he was scared or if he hadn't gotten that far when the king had cut him off. She would wait and let her son sort it out later.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Two week later Merlin was well enough for Gaius to allow him to do light duties, but he could not remember the day he had returned to Camelot. Gaius had told him all he knew and Arthur had filled him in on what the warlock had told the royals, but he left out the part about knowing that the missing girl is Merlin's daughter.

Gaius had seen to it that Daegal had a proper burial. Gaius took Merlin to the spot as soon as he believed his ward was well enough to do so.

Merlin placed a bundle to the very plants Daegal had used to help him on the boy's grave and said, "His life had only begun."

As that started back towards Camelot Merlin stated, "It can't go on, Gaius."

"Gwen?" The physician inquired.

Merlin confirmed it by continuing. "We have to do something about her."

"Yes, but the question is, 'what?'" the words of his mentor caused a surge of determination raced through the warlock's body and could be seen clearly on his face as he strode off.

He had work to do.


	2. Chapter 2

The knights who had been sent to help in the search for Merlin's daughter had return with the news that the search had been called off. Arthur was shocked by how well Merlin had taken the news. He was about to admit what he knew to his manservant when Merlin asked him to come with him to the Darkling Woods tonight. Curious, the king agreed.

That night, deep in the forest Arthur and Merlin watched as Gwen and Morgana greeted each other and begin discussing the levy that they wish to disrupt. From where he is hiding, the king starts to draw his sword.

"No, my lord! Morgana's too powerful. Now is not the time." Merlin states as he keeps his fiend from making the biggest mistake of his life.

"How could she do this?" Arthur asks, his heart is broken at the sight before him.

"She's not the Gwen you love. She has fallen prey to a dark and powerful magic." The servant explained, easing the king's pain.

"If I lose her, I lose everything." Arthur says, as he longs for comfort.

"We'll find a way to bring her back, Arthur. I promise." And Merlin meant every word of it.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

The next few days flew by for Merlin. The frantic research, the meeting with the Dochraid, making a new disguise, drugging and sneaking Gwen out of the castle, falling off the edge of the cliff, being joined by Mordred, Aithusa and Morgana showing up, Dressing up as the Dolma, and summoning the White Goddess. They had stopped for the night and Merlin was exhausted. Merlin was still weak from the poisoning and the fall weeks before, but he didn't want to admit it to Arthur. Even when the prat had forced him to carry all the supplies by himself, he kept his mouth shut. After the fall, Merlin was sure he had recracked his healing rib and him hitting his head again so soon after his concussion was not a good thing. On top of all that he had used three very powerful spells, which had drain him physically and magically.

He knew he didn't have the strength to heal himself, so he asked Mordred to help him rebind his ribs. Gwen was told what had happened while she had been drugged, and she then insisted that she examine Merlin.

She had worked with Gaius for years before she had become queen, so when she saw that Merlin had hit his head again she told him there was to be no sleeping for him tonight. The three took turns keeping the exhausted warlock awake. Gwen had the first watch and had managed to keep merlin awake by talking about what she had done while under Morgana's spell and what Merlin had done to stop her.

Mordred relieved the queen two hours before midnight. Keeping the Great Emrys awake was much harder than the young knight had thought it would be. After about three hours, Merlin admitted that he had hardly slept in days. Combining that with the spells, all of which individually would have drained even the most powerful of sorcerers, and the head injury it was surprising that he was even alive let alone lucid.

When it was Arthur's turn, he stated with asking what had happened when he had gone to find the Dolma. Merlin had thought hard about what he was going to say when confronted with this question. On the trek back to the horses he had come up with a story that wouldn't harden the king's heart to magic and wouldn't make himself look like an idiot. He was starting to tell the story when the king shushed him, saying he thought he heard something. It was nearly dawn and Arthur decided to check it out. That was when Merlin lost consciousness.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

The king returned stating it had been a lost faun. He looked at his friend and started cursing himself under his breath. He tried to rouse the exhausted man, but to no avail. He woke the other two and told them what had happened. Gwen lectured her husband in such a way that Mordred was sure both Merlin and Gaius would have proud.

After an hour of trying every possible way they could think of to rouse Merlin, Gwen declared that needed to get him to Gaius. Since they had three horses, Gwen, who had ridden with Arthur the previous day, rode Merlin's horse while the likely comatose servant rode in front of Mordred on the knight's horse. It took them a whole day of hard riding to reach Camelot. The sun was setting as the riders crossed the courtyard.

Their arrival had been spotted and Leon, Gwaine, Percival, and Gaius were there to greet them. The knights wished to know why the royals had left the castle with only Mordred as an escort. While Gaius wanted to see for himself if the queen's mind was once again her own. None of the four were expecting to see an unconscious Merlin and deeply worried expressions on the other three riders' faces.

The knights helped Gaius whisk their friend up to his chamber, while the royals eased to tension that had built in the court during their absence. Mordred explained what had happened once the other knights had been sent off by the elderly physician. Gaius was worried that Merlin might have fallen into a coma. After closer examination it was clear that Merlin was simply exhausted, but Merlin had been right about the ribs and he had managed to give himself yet another concussion.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

After sleeping for three straight days, Merlin woke to the voices of Percival and Gwaine telling Arthur the details of their search for the lost girl. They had searched for two weeks and others had been looking for an entire week before they had arrived. They fell silent when they heard a noise from Merlin's room. Gwaine was the first one up the stairs. He saw Merlin crumpled on the floor beside his narrow bed.

As he rushed help his friend to his feet he realized Merlin was crying. Arthur took one look at his weeping servant and realized the fact that Merlin had never really accepted the fact that his daughter was missing, he had simply worked to keep his mind off of it.

After Gwaine and Percival had helped Merlin to the table in the main room, Arthur sent them off. Gwaine to let the queen and Gaius know that the "Sleepy Raven" was awake and Percival to let Audrey know to send up dinner for six or seven to Gaius's chamber.

When the knights were gone Arthur admitted to Merlin the whole story of what had happened the night of the fever. He also explained what he had missed the last three days as he let the man who had always been there for him cry as he held him to his chest. At that moment Merlin was not his clumsy, idiotic manservant, instead he was a brother who just needed a hug.

Merlin pulled himself together just in time. No sooner did he finish drying his face than six people came pouring into the room. They all noticed the wet mark on front of the king's shirt and the red rims of Merlin's eyes, but chose not to mention it. Gwaine felt proud of Arthur for stepping up and returning the favor that Merlin always showed the king. He had no clue why his friend had been crying in the first place, but Arthur did and had comforted him.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

When the food arrived it dawned on Merlin that Arthur had requested food for seven people, but there were eight people in the room. While the warlock was trying to figure out who the clotpole had forgotten when Gwen handed his a bowl of thin soup.

The other had been watching Merlin and had figured out what he was thinking. They laughed when Merlin's face showed that Arthur knew what he was doing. It was a mix of pride and horror that look way too familiar on their friends face.

"It may take a while Merlin, but we will find her." Those were the comforting words Arthur had told his best friend, and he meant them.


	3. Chapter 3

(From The Kindness of Strangers)

After a week after Merlin was recovered, Arthur decided to have a picnic with Gwen out in the forest. He felt great and his good mood was contagious. Merlin was still worried about his daughter, but Arthur's promise gave him strength. That picnic had lead Merlin on a quest that lead to him being bed bound for the third time in two months. When he was lucid he told Gaius about the box Finna had given him. They sat at the table and Gaius opened the box and removed the paper it held. On it was written:

"Let loose the hounds of war. Let the dread fire of the last priestess reign down from angry skies. For brother will slaughter brother. For friend will murder friend. As the great horn sounds, a cold dawn at Camlann. The prophets do not lie. There Arthur will meet his end, upon that mighty plain."

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

(From The Drawing of the Dark)

Merlin knew his wandering mind was causing him to be more careless, but telling Mordred about his wife and Freya… that was more than carless, that was stupid. The stories of the Merlin's past only seemed to enrage the druid knight further. Mordred had always thought that Emrys was some sort of a poove, but he now realized that the warlock played that part to save himself the pain of losing another love, but that didn't excuse him for forsaking the loved one of a comrade.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Merlin had failed again. He failed Daegle, Finna, his own daughter, and now Mordred, and by failing the druid knight he was failing Arthur and Camelot. because of him Mordred has forsaken his oath to Arthur and Camelot and used magic to escape the dungeon. His heart has been hardened against Merlin, Arthur, and Camelot. He was a failure.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Mordred is escorted by a couple of guards up to Morgana who sits on her throne. As one of the guards shoves Mordred to his knees, Morgana says, "My old friend," Mordred looks up at her. "Last time we met you tried to kill me." She continues.

"I am here for a purpose, Morgana. I did not break stride to find you. I bring you the news you have longed for." Mordred states coldly.

"Arthur's death?" She asks, there is a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"The key to it. I was wrong to ever question your wisdom, my lady and I wish to make amends." Her heart races as he says these words.

"Tell me!" She says quickly.

"There is someone you have been searching for, someone that has always eluded you."

"Emrys." A smile graces her lip as she realizes what the boy is saying.

"I know where he is." Mordred states venomously.

"Where?" Her tone is almost as deadly as his.

"Camelot." Her face fell. "And I have his true name. It is Merlin." At this statement she is filled with rage. "He has meddled his last." she tells herself. "He will pay."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

(From Diamond of the Day Part 1)

"He was a loyal soldier, and robbing him of his magic you've lost yourself a powerful ally." Mordred states after watching the Lady Morgana threaten, humiliate, and strip a man of his powers.

"Perhaps. But now we know the war can be won. For Arthur is nothing without Emrys and Emrys is nothing without magic."

She had finally found the one thing that she was sure even Emrys couldn't overcome. The Gean Canach was older than even the Sidhe. The beast rips the magic from its victims painfully, so much so, that is often killed the more powerful users. If the Gean Canach didn't kill him, Morgana knew she would be more than willing to put him out of his misery.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Later on in Camelot, one of Morgana's men that was sneaking along the alley way with the box that has the creature in it. His task was simple, place the box with its lid ajar under the bed of the physician's apprentice's bed. He was to complete this task without alerting the boy of the danger, even if he had to kill to do it.

So, when the old man woke, the Saxon felt no apprehension hitting the old fellow with one of his own rocks…

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Three hours earlier…

Mordred's betrayal had hit them all hard, but none as hard as the King's manservant. Only Arthur, Gwen, and Gaius knew about Merlin's past with both the young druid and losing a loved one. They told him it wasn't his fault, that it was Mordred's choice, and there was nothing he could have done to dissuade the boy, but that only seemed to make the man sink deeper into himself.

Finally Arthur had had enough! He was going to cheer his friend up, even at the cost of his own ego. He was taking Merlin to the tavern and getting the wiry servant stone drunk. The knights had seemed worried about the younger man, so the king knew he could count on them to help him with the plan, too bad Gwaine and Leon were going to miss this.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Arthur hadn't seen Merlin this happy in years! How could he have missed how sad and lonely the man had been since Lanc… 'He' died? But all that was in the past, now Merlin was happy, almost drunk, and had managed to humiliate the king in more than one way.

It was well after midnight and Percival decided it was time for everyone to get some sleep. Arthur hadn't realized how drunk he really was until Merlin asked the large knight to help him get "His royal drunkenness" into the castle without waking Gwen. Which, somehow, they managed. Arthur knew he was going to feel terrible tomorrow, but to see Merlin happy, it would be worth it.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

After getting Arthur in bed, Merlin headed off to his own, but not before missing a step, slightly twisting his knee. It wasn't bad. In fact it should be fine by morning, but for now he looked drunk as he walked with a slight limp. Oh well, at least there wasn't really anyone around to see him.

When he reaches Gaius's chambers, Merlin quietly opens the door and carefully enters. Merlin didn't get far before he trips over a stool falling to the floor. He grimaces both in pain and because he really didn't want to wake up Gaius, who unbeknownst to the warlock is laying the floor with a wound over his eye, out cold. Merlin quickly gets up and enters his chambers, steps on a chest, lies down on the bed, places the money pouch tiredly on the bedside table. Hearing a hissing noise Merlin sits up and looks around the room. As his eyes reach the door a creature jumps at him, knocking him down.

Merlin is in a complete panic! He can't breathe! He can't scream! He needs this thing off! Now! Somehow, He manages to rip the giant slug creature off of his face and throws it across his small room. He has a single moment of elation before the creature starts to move toward him again. He backs up against one of the barrels stored in his room. Just as it leaps again Gaius comes in with a shovel and hits it. Twice! As Gaius rushes toward him his mind is going wild, suddenly all he can focus on is a small cut that has the nerve to be in one of Gaius's infamous eyebrow. He reaches to touch it and says something, but he quickly forgets as the darkness claimed him.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Moments earlier…

Gaius woke to the sounds of thrashing coming from Merlin's room. For a split second Gaius assumed that the poor boy was having another nightmare, when he suddenly noticed where he was. His memories came rushing back to him as he burst into action. He couldn't remember the last time he had moved this fast. He grabbed the herb trowel and ran into his wards meager chamber.

He arrived not a moment too soon. He no more than stepped into the room than a dark object came flying through the air, heading directly toward a pale and panicked Merlin. He didn't even think before he knocked the thing out of the air. It landed on the bed and he wasted no time in killing it with a well-aimed second blow.

Rasping breaths brought him out of his adrenaline stupor. Merlin was barely conscious, but it didn't stop him from showing just how kind a soul he really was by telling his father figure to get his scratch looked at. Gaius panicked slightly when the boy passed out.

He knew this was no time to panic. Somehow, he managed to switch into the impassive mode that he used when dealing with patients that he truly cared for. He used the trowel to knock the dead slug off the bed and managed to get his ward on it instead. He then lit the room with candles before checking on Merlin again.

The young man was unconscious and slightly sweating. It didn't appear to be a fever, it was more likely the body clearing itself of all the adrenaline that was assuredly running through his veins. As he mopped the lads head he began to stir.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Merlin was still in a haze hours later when the soldiers and knights from Stowell arrived in Camelot with wounded. The hollowness was overwhelming. He knew why it had happened and what he could do, but he was plagued by what he no longer could do to help his king and home.

His feeling of uselessness only got worse as the day wore on. All the wounded, Gwaine and Eira, the reports of Morgana and Mordred's aggressions, and then the plans to meet at Camlann! There was now no way to help Arthur without magic, but his was gone! There was only one path left for him and he was going to take it.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Merlin knew he was probably going to regret telling Gwaine this but how else was he going to pry him away from his new love? It was going to be one of the most awkward conversations he had ever had, and this was Gwaine so he had had some doozies! This would be right up there with the facts of life speech he got a few years back Though, in hindsight, that would have been the best time to have brought this up, but what's done is done.

Gwaine was in the armory sharpening his sword when Merlin found him. Taking a deep breath he made himself known. Gwaine greeted him with one of his signature grins. Merlin didn't know how to do this, so he just let his tongue do all the talking.

"Gwaine, could I ask you a favor? You don't have to help, I would understand if you didn't. After all..."

Gwaine cut his off by grabbing his shoulder. "What is it mate?"

Merlin looked him in the eye and let his guard down just enough to get Gwaine pity. He hated manipulating his friend like this, but he knew this was the quickest and easiest way.

"Could you take me to the Valley of the Fallen Kings? I need to join the search for Branwen Alura, you know, the missing girl?"

Gwaine gave a confused nod.

Merlin gave a sigh before continuing.

"Well there was a report that she was seen there yesterday. And I have to see if it is true. I just need to get there so I can join the search party."

"Why do you need to help in the search for a lost girl from a remote village?"

"Because," Merlin lowered his eyes to the floor. "She is my daughter." With this he let the tears he had been holding back for months, maybe even years, run freely down his face.

"Your… Daughter…?! Mate! You have a daughter?!"

Merlin nodded, with tears still pouring from his red eyes.

"And she has been missing for gods know how long and you never said anything?! Why not?!"

Gwaine hadn't meant to yell at the poor man, but it hurt that he had kept this from him and all the other knights. Then it dawned on him. Merlin had been sick or injured most of the time and the princess had sent knights to help in the search.

He was brought out of his train of thought by Merlin's sudden sob. Gwaines eyes softened and he pulled the skinny man into a hug.

"You told Arthur didn't you?"

He felt the shaking man nod.

"Does Gwen know?"

Another nod.

"Do any of the other knights know? Like Leon or Percival?"

This time there was a weak reply.

"Gaius is the only other person here in Camelot who knows about her. I couldn't let Mordred know about her. I knew he would do this. I told Arthur, but you know how he only hears what he wants to."

Gwaine was secretly relieved that he was the first of the knights to know, but on the other hard he knew how lonely, sad, and helpless Merlin must have felt the last few weeks.

"Does Arthur know you plan on going out on the search instead of joining him at Camlann?"

"Not yet. How can I tell him I plan on choosing my child, who I hardly even see, over him, my king, master, and friend? I am going to tell him I am going to get supplies for Gaius. He will hate me, but I was Gaius's apprentice before I was his servant, so I have a valid excuse. He will call me a coward, but it won't be the first time…"

"I'll take you, but you are far from being a coward. It take a great deal of strength to do what you have done. Remember that when you feed that story to the princess, yeah?"

Merlin managed a weak smile as he nodded.

"Thanks Gwaine, for everything."

"Anytime mate! Now you might want to get everything ready before you tell him. Otherwise he might send you to muck out the stables to keep you nearby."

Gwaine had never seen Merlin move so quickly or that gracefully for that matter, but Merlin was always full of surprises.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Gwaine knew that Merlin probably didn't want him there when he told Arthur he wasn't going, but that doesn't mean he wasn't going to be right outside of the servant door to the king's chamber to hear how it went. And boy was he glad he was! The nerve of Arthur! Merlin was both right and wrong. Arthur didn't call him a coward, but he did make it clear that he thought the servant was one.

Gwaine waited to see if Merlin was going to defend himself, but it didn't happen. So, when Merlin headed off to pack his own stuff, Gwaine barged into the royal chambers and let the prat have it!

"You condescending self-righteous prat!"

Arthur jumped and swung around only to come face to face with a furious Gwaine.

"That man has given you ten years of his life! He gave up being a father to his daughter to serve you! He has almost died several time saving your royal backside! And what do you say?! 'I always thought you were the bravest man I ever met. Guess I was wrong.' He will be of no use to you in a real battle, he has not been truly trained, he has no armor, but he has done all he could to see that you will be prepared. He isn't scared, he is being practical! If he needs to go get some herbs before joining you, why not? He was Gaius's apprentice before he even met you? Did you even think about that?! He is your servant, but he has duties to Gaius as well! Have you ever thought that maybe the poor guy is clumsy because he is exhausted from working two jobs? He loves you as a brother, so he will never be the one to tell you off, but DAMN IT ALL ARTHUR! HE IS ONLY HUMAN!"

With that said, Gwaine stormed out leaving a frightened, ashamed, and perplexed king behind.

The knight needed to calm down and he knew Eira would be more than happy to help with that.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Arthur didn't know how to take Gwaine's outburst. Had the knight been listening the entire time? Or had he only heard the later parts? When did he find out about Merlin's daughter? Had he known before she went missing? Did Gwaine know something he didn't? These thoughts stayed with him until Guinevere called his name as he was getting ready to march off to Camlann.

"Guinevere. What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you."

"The battlefield is no place for a Queen." Or servants, his mind add silently, causing him to mentally wince.

"I have no intention of joining you there. I can assure you. Arthur, if these are to be your last days, I would far rather spend them together then sit waiting for a man that I might never see again."

Her words hit him in such a way that he felt even worse about what he had said to Merlin, but he couldn't do anything about it now. Merlin was already gone by the time he had thought to apologize.

Merlin had decided to stay with his king, rather than spend time with his child. Merlin was missing his baby growing up and changing, just so he could serve his master. Merlin was willing to make his daughter an orphan to protect his prince and now king. And what had Arthur done? He had thrown things at him, called him names, and given him more chores than any servant should have been able to handle, but Merlin never left. He was always loyal. He was the opposite of a coward, but it still stung that he would choose now to leave his king's side, on the eve of war. But Arthur finally understood. Merlin would be there, he would just be late like he always was. But that didn't mean he wasn't mad, because he was.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Merlin hadn't felt this physically weak in while, not since Morgana had poisoned him. He knew Gwaine had noticed his fatigue, but had tactfully decided not to mention it. So when their conversation about the knight's love life was interrupted by bandits running at them. Gwaine was not really surprised to hear Merlin call his name, but the panic that single word held chilled Gwaine to the bone.

He had forgotten that Merlin had no weapon this time. Usually Merlin would use a stray spear, a forgotten crossbow, a fallen sword, but there were no weapons for him to use this time. He was relying completely on Gwaine.

Gwaine had never seen Merlin as helpless, until now. He was sickly pale, he looked like he was barely able to stay upright, and he was shaking.

"You okay?" Gwaine asks as he offers Merlin a hand up.

"Yeah. I think so. Thank you."

Gwaine gives his friend a look before replying, mirroring a statement Merlin had made not but a few minutes ago.

"No need to thank me Merlin. It was the least I could do."

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

After a while of walking Merlin spotted the mouth to the crystal caves.

"I can make my own way from here." Merlin suddenly stated.

Gwaine had been lost in thought and had not caught what the man had actually said.

"Sorry?" He asked.

"You needn't come any further. I'll be fine."

There was something in Merlin's voice that made Gwaine wonder about his odd friend.

"How will you get back to Camelot? There are bandits everywhere."

He was worried about the man, but there was something in the raven haired man's timeless eyes that told him he was worrying about nothing.

"Once I have what I'm looking for I'll be perfectly safe, I promise you."

Gwaine was about to ask a dumb question like 'What are you looking for?' but he knew the answer to that, didn't he? There was more to the story that Merlin was telling him, but his instincts were telling him that everything would be alright and to trust the scrawny man.

"You should get going, Arthur will need you by his side."

"Look after yourself Merlin." As he said this he held his sword out, hilt first, to Merlin. As Merlin reached to take it. Gwaine couldn't help but tease his

"You know to use the sharp end, right?"

"Yeah." Merlin's reply was tinged with amusement.

As they grasp arms. Gwaine said the only thing he could think of, "I hope you find what you're looking for."

With that Gwaine headed back to Camelot leaving his best friend in one of the most dangerous places in all Albion, but felt that Merlin couldn't have been safer. If only he knew how wrong he was.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Arthur and the army had stopped and set up camp, now he, Guinevere, and Gaius where seated in a tent near the center of the encampment.

"Vital supplies."

At this statement from the king Gaius looks up from his mixing.

"Excuse me, sire?"

"It's a shame Merlin didn't feel able to join us."

'So this is the excuse Merlin gave him.' Gaius thinks to himself before validating his ward's story.

"I'm sorry Sire, for I must take the blame."

The look Gwen sends at Gaius shows that she thinks he is not telling the whole truth.

"But I cannot treat the wounded without sufficient medicine. The timing is unfortunate I grant you."

"Yes. Unfortunate as you say." Saying this Arthur walks away as Gaius watches.

"I'm not sure he believes you, Gaius."

At the queen's statement he turns back to face her.

She then continues saying, "I'm not sure I do either. I know how devoted Merlin is to Arthur. He would never leave him at a time like this. Not for a mere errand. Not unless there was something else. Something he doesn't feel able to talk about it."

"My lady, there is something else. Something of the very greatest importance, and I very dearly wish I could tell you what it is, but I cannot. For reasons that affects us all."

To this Gwen nods her head and states, "Then there is nothing more to be said, except whatever it is, I wish him luck." She then reaches over and pats Gaius's hand.

"If you want the real story, ask Gwaine. I might not be able to tell you, but he has no such limitations" The old physician states giving her a knowing look. At this she smiles and heads out of the tent to find the drunken knight.

After she is gone Gaius drops his mask and whispers, "I hope you know what you are doing, my boy."

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Merlin was reliving his brief encounter with the witch in the caves over and over in his sleep. He is going to fail! He begins to pity himself when he is roused by a voice that he never thought he would hear again.

As Merlin opens his eyes, he sees the one person he needed the most right now.

"Father."

"My son."

"Are you here? Are you real?"

He wants his father to be able to hold him and teach him, but his meager hopes are crushed by his father's next statement.

"Dead or alive? Real or imagined? Past or present? These things are of no consequence. All that matters is that you heed the words of your father who loves you. Do not let go, Merlin, do not give in."

"I have no reason to go on. The battle is already over. Morgana has won."

"Only if you accept defeat. But if you fight, if you let hope into your heart, Morgana cannot be victorious."

"What hope is there without my magic?"

At this Balinor's spirit kneels down next to Merlin. His eyes are kind and understanding.

"Merlin, you are more than a son of you father. You are son of the earth, the sea, the sky, magic is the fabric of this world, and you were born of that magic. You are magic itself. You cannot lose what you are."

"But how do I find myself...again?"

Balinor smiles. "Believe, Merlin. Believe what your heart knows to be true. That you have always been, and always will be."

"Always will be."

Merlin doesn't have time to contemplate this statement before his eyes start to droop.

"Rest now. Rest my son. And soon you shall awaken into the light."

With his father's reassurance, Merlin allows himself to drift off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Morgana is pleased. Emrys is powerless and trapped, thanks to her little spy Eira, Mordred has a sword that can kill anything shy of a dragon, and Arthur was walking right into her trap.

As the unrightful king sleeps, one hundred of her best men were taking a hidden path to the backside of the Camelotian camp. He didn't think she would attack in the dark. Oh, how wrong was he. Soon she would triumph and Camelot would be hers at last! Soon she would be free!

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Back in the Crystal Caves, Merlin is fully healed. He opens his eyes, sits up and touches his face. Rubbing a place where there was a cut and sees that there is no blood on his hand when he pulls his hand away. He slowly gets into a crouching position while looking around him. Merlin cups his hands together. "Gewyrc an lif."

His eyes glow and he hears is small fluttering noise. He opens his hands and a blue butterfly flies away.

Suddenly he realizes he has no clue as to how long he has been asleep and what has happened during that time. He stands up and finds a crystal. Merlin puts his hand out and imagines start to flash through the crystal. As he sorts through all the visions he mumbles "Arthur where are you?"

Suddenly the images shift so that Merlin sees the camp at Camlann and Arthur and Gwen sleeping. Knowing from the earlier images that his king needs warned Merlin focuses on his Brother and starts talking, hoping that he man will hear him.

"Arthur. Arthur, I'm sorry I had to leave you. I didn't want to. I hope one day you'll understand why. Your plan is a good one and you may yet save this kingdom, but you must beware. Your army's flank is vulnerable. There's an old path over the ridge of Camlann, and Morgana knows of it. She means to trap you, Arthur. Find the path or the battle will be over before it's begun. Find the path!"

Merlin smiles as he sees the king wake and look around. He had heard!

Merlin continued to watch as Morgana's plan unraveled and he marveled at Arthur's battle speech. This was the first time Arthur had given a speech without Merlin's help, and it made the warlock's heart soar!

"Tonight...we do battle. Tonight we end this war, we end a war as old as the land itself. War against tyranny, greed, and spite. Not all will greet the dawn, some will live, some will die. But each and every one of you fights with honor, and with pride. For not only do we fight for our lives, we fight for the future. The future of Camelot. The future of Albion. The future of the united kingdoms. For the love of Camelot!"

As the army picks up the call, Merlin turns from his scrying crystal to Balinor's spirit.

"Thank you. For your help, your guidance."

"I only offered a hand. You stand tall on your own two feet, Merlin, you always have done."

"As did you, father. I follow in your footsteps."

"Your journey has only just begun. You wield a power you yet cannot conceive of. Only in the heart of the Crystal Cave will your true self be revealed."

"Move towards the light. Your destiny awaits. Do not be afraid. Trust in what you are, trust in what will be."

Merlin moved towards the light coming from deeper in the caves, but stops before he gets there and turn to the man he will miss greatly.

"Goodbye, father."

"There are no goodbyes, Emrys, for I will always be. As you will always be."

Smiling, Merlin turned and continued into the light.

As if a sign, the moment he enters the light the battle at Camlann began with two leader crying in unison, "ON ME!"

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Back at the cave, rocks go flying as a spell breaks through Morgana's barricade. Emrys in the guise of the old man steps out, and he is angry.


	5. Chapter 5

(From Diamond of the Day Part 2)

As Merlin's aged form rode swiftly towards Camlann, his mind ran through all he had seen through the crystals. He knew what was happening there at this very moment, the crystals had hidden nothing about the battle, before his arrival from, him.

In his mind he saw Mordred cut down Camelot knights, as he continues his search for Arthur, the Knights surrounding Mordred, Morgana throwing said knights back with her magic, Mordred turning and looking up at her, her nod to him, and him walking off in search of his foe.

At the same time he saw as Aithusa screeched and flew overhead. He saw Arthur look up and sees the young she-dragon. In his mind he watched as she swooped down and breathed fire over Arthur and the knights as everyone ducks.

He sees what is happening to the people he thinks of as his father and sister at this same time. He sees Gwen shouting about bandages. He watches as a small battle takes place in the field infirmary, which ended with Gwen stabbing the Saxon invader in the back, killing him.

At this image Merlin pulls himself from the visions and focuses on his arrival. Or even more importantly, he focuses on Arthur.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

As the horse neared the top of the ridge, Merlin simultaneously halted the horse in its tracks and jumped from its back. As soon as his feet touched the ground he raced to the edge casting his falcon like eyes cross the battlefield in search of the golden-haired monarch. Merlin caught sight of Arthur as the king quickly took down three Saxons back-to-back.

Merlin lifted his staff as he saw a group of Morgana's men begin to encircle the blonde. As Arthur tensed and positioned himself to fight the whole group, Merlin called lightning down on the attackers. Merlin saw the confusion on the king's face and, had it been any other situation, Merlin would have laughed, but right know he was too focused on keeping all of his friends alive. He sent off bolt after bolt. He had even sent one at Morgana when she had screamed "Emrys!" at him.

Merlin was not at all surprised when Aithusa rejoined the battle. For a split second he almost sent her away, but that would only make her bitter toward him. Instead he called her to him and asked her to stand beside him and behave herself. After Aithusa landed the warlock turned his attention back to the battle below. He notes that Arthur is watching him just before the king turned to his men shouting "For the love of Camelot!" and charging back into the fray.

Right then, the great Emrys was so focused of the men of Camelot that he missed seeing Mordred all together.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

From his vantage point, Merlin could see everything. He knew Gaius had been watching from outside the infirmary tent, but he was too busy to notice when the queen joined the old physician.

"Who is that?" She asks, since it is clear from the look of pride on Gaius's face that he at least knows who the person is, by reputation if naught else.

"Someone truly remarkable." He replies with a slight smile.

"You know him?" This was more of a statement than a question.

Gaius gave her a look she hadn't seen in years. "Let's just say he deserves our gratitude."

As Gwen watched the sorcerer walk away from the ridge, she felt like she was missing something. It was like having a word at the tip of your tongue, you knew it, but you lose it the moment you try to share it out loud. She felt happy and peaceful, but she couldn't place why.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Merlin really did not like wandering around in his aged for, but what choice did he have? Arthur knew he had left and everyone had seen the 'man of the cliff', so he couldn't just drop the guise. "Why can't I…?" Merlin suddenly said aloud. As the old sorcerer he had wandered off and he had yet to come across anyone alive, so why couldn't he search as himself? It wouldn't be the first time he, the skinny servant, had gone unarmed to find the prat. Why would this be any different?

Suddenly he thought of a good reason to keep himself like this. What if Arthur needed magic to save him? What if Mord… Without even finishing his thought, he redoubled his speed. He needed to find Arthur before Mordred did.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Merlin saw Mordred first, he was dead. Then he saw Arthur sitting slumped over on a rock. The years of going on hunt with the prat taught Merlin how to read tracks, and from the tracks and skids in the loose soil and sand he could tell what had happened. As he dropped his staff and went to Arthur, he feared the worst. He felt for a pulse, it was there, weak, but it was there. He put Arthur's arm over his shoulder and pulled him up. Merlin carried Arthur, who still has a hold of Excalibur, off the battlefield.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Merlin manages to get Arthur to the forest by stealing a horse from the Saxons. Merlin had dropped the aging spell after carrying the king for roughly five minutes. After setting up camp he settled down and focused on the wound Arthur had received. Merlin could feel a dark version of Aithusa's power radiating from the sword shard he could sense in his friend's chest. Without even thinking about it, Merlin threw back his head and called for the young she-dragon.

Aithusa had never been called by her Dragon Lord before, she felt torn. Should she abandon everything her and her mistress had built together for the man who had never been there for her, or should she be happy that he was here now and that he wanted her? She felt herself take off toward the call without her permission. "He is forcing me to come? I would have come anyway, but why is he forcing me?"

She was still pondering these thoughts when she landed not far from the camp where Arthur lay bleeding. She no sooner touched the ground than she felt arms wrap around her neck. She couldn't see who the arms belonged to, but the voice she heard next let her know exactly who it was.

"I am so sorry Aithusa! I should have been there for you! You should never have had to go through what you have, not this young. I have failed you! I have failed all the women in my life. I let you all down, and now I am failing Destiny herself!" With this the warlock cried.

Aithusa had thought that Morgana was the saddest and loneliest person in all of Albion, but now she knew another held that title. She knew her master was hurting, so she did what she had done for Morgana, she comforted him with purrs and nuzzles. Soon he had cried his fill and tried to compose himself. She saw as his gaze rested on a blond man asleep a short distance away. The pain in his blue eyes returned suddenly. Aithusa knew that man meant a lot to her master, so she walked towards him with the plan of healing his hurts.

She hadn't expected to feel her own magic, twisted from its original pureness, to be poisoning the man. She breathed over him, casting a spell to remove her own magic from him. She knew that if she tried to heal the wounds now, her magic would do more harm than good.

She turned around to let her master know she had done all she could, but was already crushing her neck with a mighty hug. The tears he was crying this time were of joy, not pain. At that moment he was no longer her master, he was her Father.

After he finally let her go she sent him a mental image her eating a deer to let him know where she was going, before she took off into the sky. She would come back as soon as she could. She wanted to get to know her father.


	6. Chapter 6

(From Diamond of the Day Part 2- Continued)

Arthur woke to the sounds of the forest. He knew that there was only one person who could have brought him here. The same person who always managed to get him out of the scene of a battle without getting caught. Knowing who had found him, Arthur began scanning the campsite for his raven-haired servant.

Merlin turned out to be right across from him, petting something white. "It had better not be a unicorn." Arthur thought to himself before calling out "Merlin."

Merlin whisked around and rushed to the blonde's side. "How are you feeling?" his words were filled with worry and concern, but his eyes showed regret and self-loathing. Arthur tried to sit up to smack that look of his friend's face, but he ended up squeezing the Merlin's shoulder and calling out due to the sudden pain.

Merlin put a hand on Arthur's shoulder, and then grabbed his arm saying "Lie back. Lie back. You have a piece of Mordred's sword in your chest."

Arthur did hear him in his pain, so when it got done into manageable levels, he asked, "Where have you been?"

"It doesn't matter now.' Merlin muttered sadly.

Ah, my side...my side.

Merlin glanced down at the wound. "You're bleeding again."

"That's all right. I thought I was dying."

"Not if I have anything to say about it. I think I defied the prophecy. I am pretty sure I was in time."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked give his manservant an odd look.

Merlin sighed. "Now is a good a time as any to finally tell you… Aithusa! Come here and say hello!"

For a split second, Arthur though that Merlin had found his daughter and that she was here too, but then he remembered the look in the man's eyes earlier. He then tried to think of who this 'Aithusa' could be.

Arthur's thoughts were interrupted by a soft chirping noise. He turned his head and saw Morgana's dragon slowly walking towards them. Arthur started feeling around for his sword, until Merlin placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Aithusa won't hurt us. She only fought for Morgana because I neglected her, something I seem to be pretty good at. I have explained things to her and she is willing to help us. In fact, if it wasn't for her, that piece of sword would have slowly moved towards your heart, killing you. She didn't know that Morgana was using her."

Merlin saw the frightened and confused look on Arthur's face and sighed.

"Guess I should give you the beginning of the story… I'll start with where she can from and then explain the why afterwards." Merlin stopped to take a deep breath.

"Do you remember a man named Julius Borden? He was after a dragon egg and we followed him and the tower collapsed?"

Arthur nodded, still not taking his eyes off the young dragon beside him.

"Well the egg wasn't destroyed. I saved it before the whole tower almost fell on my head."

At this Arthur whipped his eye from Aithusa to Merlin. "You WHAT?! WHY?!"

"I'll get to that." He took a deep breath and plunged back into the story, talking a mile a minute.

"Aithusa here is from that egg. Her name means 'the light of the sun.' She found Morgana injured in the woods after we retook the city and they have been together ever since. She thought I hated her. She thought I left her in that pit with Morgana as some kind of punishment. She bonded with Morgana during those two years as she slowly grew deformed. Look at her. This is all my fault. All of it!"

As Merlin began crying, Arthur watched as the dragon began nuzzling the man and purring, as if trying to comfort him. Arthur didn't know what to think or say. If he hadn't been in so much pain he probably would have started pacing.

"Balinor was my father."

At this statement Arthur felt the bubble that was his world, pop. Memories flashed through his head. Suddenly, little things that had been bothering him for years made perfect sense.

"You're a Dragon Lord." This was clearly a statement and not a question, but Merlin nodded anyway.

"Well, that explains a few things... Wait! You told me you didn't know who your father was! Why would you lie about tha… You didn't know then, did you." Another statement that was answered with a nod.

"But you knew who he was when he died that is why you were... I am an idiot. I should have seen it! Hell! I cried when my own father died. I am worse than an idiot, I am a hypocrite!"

"You didn't know. And I couldn't tell you." Merlin replied. He was staring sadly at the forest floor, while absentmindedly petting Aithusa.

"Because of my father." Arthur said with sad understanding as he closed his eyes..

"No. Because of magic." Arthur's eyes shot back open.

"What are you talking about?"

"What would you say if I told you I defeated the Saxons, Aithusa, and... And I knew it was Mordred that I must stop?" Merlin asked.

Arthur reached up and patted the Dragon Lord on the shoulder. "I would tell you the truth. The person who defeated them was the sorcerer."

"It was me."

Merlin was crying again and Arthur couldn't watch.

"Don't be ridiculous, Merlin." When Merlin continued to cry, but harder now, Arthur was confused. "This is stupid, why would you say that?"

"I'm a…" A sob cut him off. "I'm a sorcerer. I have magic. And I use it for you, Arthur. Only for you."

Arthur was really confused now. "Merlin, you are not a sorcerer. I would know!"

"Look. Here. Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum."

Suddenly, a familiar light forms just above Merlin's palm. He had seen it in the caves in the Forests of Balor where he had been trapped while trying to get the cure to the poison Merlin had drank for him. "But Merlin had been dying! How could he have summoned it from such a distance while fighting for his life with the poison?!" Arthur thought to himself. Then, suddenly, Merlin word can rushing back to him. "I use it for you, Arthur. Only for you."

"Leave me." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Arthur!" Merlin's eyes showed fear. Not fear of death, fear of losing his friend. That fear made Arthur realize how he had sounded.

"No. Just...you heard! Just... I need... time" With this said the fear lessened, but did not disappear from Merlin's eyes.

Merlin stared at the king for a moment before nodding and walking back to where he had been when Arthur had first woken up. After settling back down in the leaves, Merlin looked back at Arthur, who had already fallen asleep.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Thanks to a tiny spell from Aithusa, Arthur dreamt of all that had happened since he had met Merlin. In the dreams he saw the whole story, not just what he had seen at the time. He saw everything Merlin had done. The fight with the Great Dragon was not at all as Arthur had believed. Later on, the king was glad that the beast had lived when it decimated Agravaine's forces outside of the caves. He had nearly reached Camlann when he was stirred from sleep by voices arguing.

"... no yarrow, no lady's mantle." The voice sounded like Merlin.

"I got comfrey." That sounded like Gaius, but what was he doing here?

"You should've got sticklewort. There must've been sticklewort!" Merlin sounded desperate, Arthur thought, but why?

"Merlin, why don't you water the horses. And make sure they're fed, we can't hide here for much longer." Oh! Arthur remembered now.

When Merlin walked away, Arthur reacted on instinct. He grabbed the physician's robe and gasped out, "He's a sorcerer." The look Gaius gave him said it all. "You knew." Arthur stated dejectedly.

"Arthur, he is your friend." Gaius said kindly.

"I want him gone." 'No, I need him to go so that I don't do something I will regret.'

Gaius, not having the proper context quickly said, "There is no need to fear him."

"Have him take word to Camelot. To Guinevere." 'Let them know I am alive.' he added mentally.

Arthur was trying to think of a good message to send when Gaius said, "You cannot send Merlin. I will go."

"I need a physician right now, not a sorcerer." 'Even if Merlin is a physician too.'

"He can do far more than me, far more than you can ever imagine. Arthur, he doesn't just have magic...there are those who say he's the greatest sorcerer ever to walk the earth." Gaius sounded both proud and pleading.

"Merlin?!" Arthur replied incredulously.

"If you are to stand any chance of survival, you'll need Merlin to help you, not me." Saying this Gaius continued examining Arthur.

After a few moments Arthur noticed Gaius's brow crinkle in confusion.

"Gaius? What is it?" Arthur asked in a low voice.

"There is a fragment of a blade lodged in your chest. It was once a dragon forged blade, but for some reason the dragon magic has dissipated. The question is how?"

Gaius's eyebrow went up as Arthur began to softly chuckle.

"Sire. Might I inquire what is so amusing about this situation?"

Still chuckling, Arthur replied. "At least I know now I am not the only one he keeps things from." Gaius's eyebrow went up even higher before Arthur could continue. "He told me that Morgana's dragon, Athena or some such, had used her magic to stop the piece from moving towards my heart. My guess it that she is the reason the magic faded."

"He should have told me." Arthur chuckled a little harder after hearing Gaius mutter those words under his breath.

Arthur stopped his chuckling when a thought ran through his head.

"Gaius. What really happened at the Cauldron of Arianrhod? Where did Merlin go?"

Now it was Gaius who was chuckling. "Sire, remember the sorceress who summoned the White Goddess? The Dolma?" To this Arthur nodded. "Well sire, Merlin was the Dolma."

The look on Arthur's face was a sight to behold. There were so many different emotion flickering through his expression that Gaius pitied Merlin, Gwen, and the Knights not being here to see it.

"What about his collapse that night? Was that because of the fall or the magic?"

Gaius was amazed at the amount of concern he heard in the king's voice.

"Both. He had not slept much during the trip, he was still healing from the previous fall and the poison…" Before he could go any further Arthur cut him off.

"Poison?! When was he poisoned?! He was sick, yes, but no one told me he had been poisoned!"

Gaius sighed. This was going to take a while.

"Merlin had not gone off to search for Branwen the day the Sarrum arrived. Yes she was missing, but the druids, who Merlin knows well, had told him to keep you safe while they searched for her. He instead was helping that boy who saved you. The boy had been hired by Morgana and Gwen to get Merlin out of the city. The boy led Merlin to the Valley of the Fallen Kings where Morgana was waiting. She threw him to the ground, hitting his head hard. She then pour a deadly and painful poison into his mouth and pushed him off the ridge. The boy had not known this was going to happen, so afterwards he helped Merlin purge himself of the toxin and helped him get back to Camelot. It was Merlin who killer the archer, but if Daegal hadn't saved Merlin you both would be dead."

Gaius had been watching Arthur's face throughout the story. Arthur had shown no emotion during the tale, but his face had lost almost all color.

Suddenly something seemed to click in Arthur's mind. "He is Emrys, isn't he?" His voice was as emotionless as his face. As Gaius nodded.

"Why did he not come to Camlann with us?" Arthur saw the shame that had flashed across the old man's face before he could hide it.

"After the ordeal with Mordred, you, the knights, and Merlin went to the tavern. During that time a man snuck into my chambers and hit me over the head with a stone. He worked for Morgana. Mordred had told her that Merlin was Emrys. The man placed a creature of dark magic under Merlin's bed. When Merlin came home, it attacked him. The creature leached away Merlin's magic."

By this point in the story Arthur had lost more color than Gaius had known was possible.

"Merlin was born with his magic and without it he would have died within days. He knew that there was only one chance of regaining his powers and saving you from your destiny."

"My destiny?" Arthur gulped

Gaius nodded. "It is said that the Once and Future King, which is you, was to die by the hand of Mordred at Camlann. Merlin knew this and knew he needed his magic to keep you safe. He had to go to the Crystal Caves, the birthplace of all magic, to see if regaining it was possible. Seeing as he took down more than half of the Saxon army, I would say he succeeded."

There was one thing still bothering Arthur about the last few days. "Did Merlin know that he would die without his magic?"

Gaius straightened up. "No. I did not tell him. He would have been distracted if he had known, so I kept it from him."

Arthur nodded his understanding before succumbing to his exhaustion.


	7. Chapter 7

(From Diamond of the Day Part 2- Continued again)

Merlin had been feeding Gaius's horse, letting it eat the oats straight from his hand, and stroking its nose when Gaius walked up. Upon hearing Gaius approaching, Merlin turned towards him.

"Gaius?" Merlin asked hesitantly.

"He has a fragment of sword embedded in his chest." Gaius's tone told Merlin that needed to be completely honest with his uncle.

"I know, Aithusa used her magic to draw out the poison the dragon-burnishing had caused." A look of understanding suddenly passed over the old man's face before shifting to concern.

"So, the blade that struck Arthur was no ordinary blade. Its fatal power should not have been so easily denied."

To this, Merlin nodded sadly and then replied, "Aithusa did all she could, but I had to stop the internal bleeding myself. The shard did a lot of damage before she stopped it."

"The blade's point had been travelling inexorably towards his heart. Not even you could have hoped to thwart such magic. It would have taken a power as ancient as the dragons or, apparently, the dragons themselves." Merlin gave a small, but sad, smile at this.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about that anymore, but he is still gravely injured. There must be something that we can do, Gaius. Should we try taking him back to Camelot?"

There was an audible despair in the young man's voice that made Gaius decide to set his plan in motion.

"Yes, and you must be the one to take him there."

"He won't allow that." Merlin replied without the slightest hesitation, a tone that pulled at Gaius's heart.

"He will. I spoke to him." Merlin gave the man he looked to as a father a mildly incredulous look.

"Even if he does, what about the traitor? You know I was betrayed. The girl, Eira cannot be trusted."

"I know. I have a plan, but it would mean lying to Gwen and Gwaine..."

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Gaius's plan had gone off without a hitch. He had ridden into Camelot in plain sight to get attention. He hadn't meant to discuss Arthur and the traitor in the hallway, but it worked out just fine. That night the blond girl was caught sending a fake massage to Morgana. Her execution went smoothly, but it was soon after that Gaius realized that he should have come clean after the girl's capture.

Guinevere had figured out that Merlin was the old sorcerer Dragoon the Great, but he had told them nothing of where the two men were actually heading. He told them that Brineved would divert Morgana's forces away from the two, but he never said anything about their destination.

So, when Gwaine and Percival disappeared, and Gaius realized that they were going to go after Morgana, he knew he should have told the brokenhearted knight to whole truth. But what is done, is done. Gaius wished the four men outside of the city the best of luck and the blessing of the goddess.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

After separating from Gaius, Arthur and Merlin had ridden in silence for three hours when the sound of horse caused Merlin to curse, breaking their mutual muteness. Merlin turned and his heart dropped. He quickly jumped down from his horse, told Arthur "Saxons", detached a blanket from his saddle, and rushed to cover Arthur's armor.

"I'll deal with them. Keep your head down. Don't speak." Merlin said as he wrapped the blanket around his friend.

In response Arthur lifted the edge of the thick cloth to hide the majority of his features, but not block his view.

Merlin nodded his approval and walked back towards his horse, only pausing to cause smoke to rise from the forest, nearly an hour's ride away.

As Merlin turned to face the Saxon, Arthur was shocked to see his frien… the man's, face shift from determined to panic and hopelessness. Arthur only had a split second to wonder if Merlin giving up, when the raven haired man suddenly started waving his arms and gave a panicked shout of, "Help us! Please you have to help us. We were ambushed" to the approaching men.

Arthur watched in a mix of anxiety and curiosity as the Saxons dismount and walk towards the warlock.

As the two men walked towards them the leader asked, "By who?"

Merlin played the fool easily, "These two men."

"What did they look like?" The leader asked as if talking with a simpleton.

"Um...One was... a knight."

Suddenly Merlin remembered that Arthur still had Excalibur. He quickly glanced over his shoulder and saw that the sword's hilt could be seen. That needed covered, so he diverted the men's attention by pointing out the smoke and stating, "They stormed our camp."

As they turned to see where Merlin had pointed the warlock rushed to tuck the blanket around the exposed hilt and then rushed back to where he had previously been standing.

The leader had a slight sneer as he turned to face Merlin. "You're sure it was a Camelot knight?"

The young man looked confused at that question, but answered "Yeah" anyway.

At his statement the leader shoved past him and pulled the blanket off Arthur, allowing Excalibur to be clearly seen. Arthur tensed as the two men stepped back and drew their swords. He felt numb when all Merlin did was raise his hands and the men flew back, dead before they hit the ground.

Arthur's voice sounded dead as he said these words to the man he had trusted with all his being for the past 10 years, "You've lied to me all this time." In fact, he wasn't at all surprised when Merlin didn't even reply, but he did get to see the sorrow and defeat in the younger man's eyes.

Merlin remounted and they continued as if the whole event had never happened.

It was hours later before either of them said another word to each other, and even then it was just Merlin ordering Arthur to drink some water

Later on when they stopped for the night they finally spoke to each other.

Arthur had been watching Merlin all day. He couldn't see anything different about the man, but then again, he hadn't known until a few months ago that the man before him was a widower and a father. After watching the man fail to light the tinder with his flint for a few minutes, Arthur finally broke the silence on his own accord.

Arthur saw Merlin flinch as he said, "Why don't you use magic?" The response of "Habit, I suppose" did not surprise the king in the slightest, but requesting look that followed did. Nodding his consent, he watched as again, Merlin did magic without a single word. This time, however, the king saw the flames in the warlock's eyes.

Arthur felt his insides twist as the flames leapt from the carefully shaped pile of sticks. Arthur didn't even think to stop himself as he agreed to Merlin's mumbled "Feels strange."

Still not really thinking Arthur continued. "I thought I knew you."

Arthur barely heard the reply of "I'm still the same person" before he continued with, "I trusted you."

He hadn't expected the apology that fell out of the other man's mouth, he hadn't really planned on what came out of his, but they fell out anyway.

He watched as Merlin battled with himself before the man got up from where he was setting up his bed roll. He was really confused when the broom handle of a man came over and began pulling of the king's boots. "What are you doing?" was the only words the blond could think of to say.

He really hadn't expected the simple answer of "They need drying." That was something a servant would say and do, but the sorcerer before him had no reason to do these things, so why was he?

The next morning, as Merlin tried to get Arthur to eat, the king finally asked the question that had been haunting him since he had found out about the dark headed man's secret. "Why are you doing this? Why are you still behaving like a servant?"

"It's my destiny. As it has been since the day we met." That last statement caused Arthur to relive the memories of 10 years before.

"I tried to take your head off with a mace." The king said fondly

Arthur's light tone caused Merlin to slip into his own playful tone. "And I stopped you, using magic."

"You cheated!" Arthur bellowed in mock indignation.

"You were going to kill me." Merlin's words brought the king back to what had happened over the past two days.

"I should've." These words caused the warlocks face to fall.

"I'm glad you didn't. I do this because of who you are. Without you, Camelot's nothing." Merlin watched as Arthur's face showed his usually hidden dejection.

"There was a time when that was true. Not now. There are many who can fill the crown." A small smile graced Merlin's sharp features.

"There will never be another like you, Arthur. Now, I also do this…" pausing to balance the stew on his knee and to try to get the prat to eat some of it, Merlin continued. "because you're my friend and I don't want to lose you."

After getting Arthur to eat two entire bowls of stew, Merlin helped the king to a fallen tree, so the injured man would be insight as the other readied to horses. Merlin had finished loading the horses and was looking for the water skin when he noticed Arthur starting to crumple.

Merlin nearly panicked, it tainted his voice as he rushed to his best friend's side. "Arthur, you need to hold on. One more day." After helping the king straighten up he pulled a rag out of his pocket and began wiping the perspiration from blonde's fevered brow. "One more day."

As Merlin opened the water skin Arthur asked a question he had kept to himself as he was fed breakfast. "Why did you never tell me?"

"I wanted to, but…" Arthur could practically see Merlin fighting himself to finish his sentence.

"What?" Arthur asked curiously.

"You'd have chopped my head off." Merlin stated giving Arthur a drink of water from the skin.

"I'm not sure what I would've done." The king nearly mumbled. A look of sudden understanding crossed the skinny lad's face

"And I didn't want to put you in that position." At this statement Arthur turned to study his friend's face. His eye brows twitched as he realized that that was the key to all of this.

"That's what worried you?" Merlin's eyes seemed to see beyond what lay in front of him as he slipped into the 'wise Merlin' mode that Arthur knew well.

"Some men are born to plow fields," the rich blue eyes suddenly snapped to those of the king as he continued talking "some live to be great physicians, others to be great kings. Me, I was born to serve you, Arthur. And I'm proud of that. And I wouldn't change a thing."

The next few moment showed both men completely accepting each other.

But there was still one thing bothering the king about his friend. So, after Merlin got Arthur up into the saddle and they set off again, Arthur finally asked, "Merlin, what about your daughter? If you could, would you have brought her to Camelot? Or at least spent more time with her? Would you really choose me over her?"

Merlin seem to stiffen in his saddle at the questions before he dropped his head.

"Branwen Alura has magic. She has never been able to keep herself from using it for more than a day. She isn't very powerful in anything but healing, which is funny because healing is the hardest for me..." Merlin trailed of seemingly lost in his thoughts.

Arthur suddenly understood why he had never mentioned the girl before. If he had known about her than he would have had her brought to Camelot so he and all of Merlin's friends could meet her. But if she had been caught using magic in the city she would have been killed. Knowing that she was all Merlin had left of his wife, other than the neckerchiefs, Arthur forgave Merlin for the secret. In fact, Arthur suddenly realized, he forgave the man for all the secrets he knew about so far.

Arthur thought of letting Merlin know he was forgiven, when a new question assaulted his mind.

"One more question." Arthur stated, bringing Merlin out of his mussing. "Why does she have two names?"

A small smile slid onto the warlock's face. "Before she was born, Bridget and I had been trying to pick a name. We had narrowed it down to Jonathan, after her Grandfather, or Iarward, after mine, if it was a boy. If it was a girl we would name her Branwen, which means 'beautiful raven' because she was bound to have our black hair, or Alura, meaning divine counselor, after my Grandmother." Merlin gave a sad chuckle as tears ran down his face.

"We asked her twins what they thought, but four year olds are not the best people to ask about names."

Merlin would have continued, but Arthur interrupted him.

"Who's twins?"

Merlin started out with a look of confusion which then shifted to embarrassment. "Bridget was six years older than me and a widowed mother of a little twins, a boy, James, and a girl, Lillian, after Bridget's grandmother. Jonah, her first husband, was taken by Cenred's soldiers, because he was the king's illegitimate nephew, and killed"

"Oh. So, about the two names." was all Arthur could think of to respond to that story. Merlin's grandparents' names were keeping him from really paying attention to the rest of the story.

"Well the twins had their own names that they want used for the baby. Lillian wanted either Lily, after herself, or Yarrow. She loved flower, so she wanted everything to be named after them. As for James, he loved that I was named after a bird, so he wanted the name to be Raven or Robin. He said that both names could be for a girl or a boy, so we just needed to pick the one we liked better." Merlin laughed a little as remembered their little face as they talked about the names. "I miss those two little scamps…"

Arthur was curious now. "What happened to them?"

"Their grandmother on their father's side took them a month after Bridget died. I haven't seen or heard from them since." was the sad reply. Then Merlin shook his head, as if to remove those thoughts from his head before he continued his earlier story.

"Anyway, after the twins told us about their names, Bridget and I decided to wait until the baby was born to see which name fit the best. But Bridget died. She died before birthing our child." Merlin was full on crying now, his horse kept walking as he dropped the reins and covered his face with both hands. Arthur was shocked, but before he could say anything, the weeping man continued.

"The midwife had to… she took my daughter out of her mother. Branwen Alura was lucky to be alive. I knew right then that she was special. Too special to have just one name. So I gave her both. She was born with a full head of raven hair. She was the only reason I didn't let my sorrow kill me."

Merlin then turned to look Arthur in the eye. "After coming to Camelot, you became my new reason to live. I would have exposed my secret and let your father kill me, but you gave me a reason to live. At first, it was just to keep you from killing one of the servants and shrinking your ego. But then you became a friend. For that I would like to thank you."

Arthur just sat there in his saddle and gaped at his friend. His thought were running from "Merlin did have a death wish back then" to "He has been through hell" to "He is thanking me?!" and back again.

Apparently this was visible on Arthur's face, because Merlin took one look and began laughing.

It took nearly an hour for Merlin to stop laughing every time he looked at Arthur. This was just one sign for Merlin that he needed sleep, but he needed to get Arthur home.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

A few hours past midday Merlin heard Saxons on the path up ahead. Holding his hand up, Merlin stopped, causing Arthur to glance up. Glancing around, Merlin spots a thicket that should be able to conceal them. "In there."

No sooner did Merlin tether the horses and help Arthur down from the saddle than three saxons on horseback came up the path. Settling Arthur against a tree, Merlin turn to view the hoof prints that they left behind. Seeing as their prints were obvious, Merlin cast a spell.

"Andslyht!" This caused a small wind to blow leaves across the print. As the saxons stop nearby and look around. Merlin makes the bushes rustle to the right of the saxons with an instinctual flash of his eyes.

As the saxons rode off after the nonexistent bush shakers, Arthur knew he needed to say something. "You've done this before." This statement caused Merlin glance at Arthur. Seeing no judgment in the king's eyes, he turned back to watch the saxons. "All these years, Merlin...You never once sought any credit." Arthur's voice had an odd tone that Merlin couldn't quite place.

"It's not why I do it. Come on." Saying this Merlin helped Arthur back to the horses.

It was nearly dusk when Merlin looked back and saw Arthur slumped over the side of his horse. "Arthur!" Merlin shouted as he dismounted and rushed to Arthur. As he straightens him up, Arthur mumbled "I can't go on."

"There's not far to go. We can reach Camelot by midnight.

"No, Merlin. No."

Merlin could see that Arthur was beyond exhausted, so he relented.

"All right. We rest for an hour."

A small way off the main path Merlin got a fire going. Getting Arthur into a sitting position against a log Merlin got Arthur to drink some water.

Arthur knew there was every chance that even if they reached Camelot that he would still succumb to his wound. Not wanting to leave tension in the air, he decided to let Merlin know how he felt. "Merlin, whatever happens…"

Merlin, guessing what was on the king's mind, cut him off. "Shh...Don't talk."

"I'm the King, Merlin. You can't tell me what to do." At this Merlin smiled.

"I always have. I'm not going to change now." He said trying to lighten the mood the king was in.

"I don't want you to change. I want you...to always...be you. I'm sorry about how I treated you." Shocked, but still playful Merlin replied softly.

"Does that mean you're gonna give me a day off?"

"Two." Arthur wanted to add "Find your daughter. You'll need each other." but he was barely awake.

"That's generous." With this said Arthur's head lolls and goes down as he finally fell asleep. Worried Merlin checked his pulse it was weaker than last time, but not dangerously so.

"Get some sleep."

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Knowing how tired the Arthur was, Merlin let him sleep for two hours. During that time, Merlin had stopped some more of the bleeding, reduced the infection that had settled in, and replenished the king's blood with a few spells. After this Merlin tended to his own injuries.

While the Caves had healed the cuts and alleviate the majority of the visible bruises, it had no real effect on his rib that had once again been injured in the rock fall when Morgana had sealed him in the cave. Having carried Arthur from the battlefield and then helping him on and off the horse had caused two of the cracked ribs to fracture further.

On top of that, Merlin had a gash on both his left arm and leg that refused to stop weeping. He also thought he might have a concussion, again, so he had not slept the first night. The second night, he had been in too much pain to sleep even if he had tried.

Other than the sleep he had gotten in the Crystal Caves, he had not slept but a handful of hours in almost week. Once they were back in Camelot he would sleep, but not before.

So, when the two hours were up, Merlin gently woke his friend and got him back on the horse. Merlin knew he wouldn't have the strength to do it again, so he needed to Arthur home without incident.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

It was an hour before dawn when they reached the gates of Camelot. The guards on duty recognized them and rushed to help. One man ran to inform Gaius that they had arrived and woke two knights to carry the king, another lead them to the courtyard, while the third continued to guard his post.

By the time they reached the courtyard Sir Brennis and Leon were waiting. Arthur was barely conscious as the two knights carried him to Gaius's chamber. Merlin followed behind as fast as he could, but his ribs forced him to stop twice on the way there.

When he finally reached his home, Merlin was nearly drained. The adrenaline that had been keeping going was wearing off and his injuries were taking their toll. He walked in as Gaius shooed Percival, Brennis, and Leon out of his chamber saying he would call them if he needed them and to inform the queen when she woke about her husband's return, but not before.

Merlin had been expecting to see only himself, Gaius, and Arthur in the room, but there, lying in Gaius's bed was a deadly pale Gwaine. Without thinking Merlin questioned Gaius about the knight.

"Morgana tortured him with a Nathair. I doubt he will last till midday." Gaius replied without looking up from his work on Arthur's side. Leon had helped him remove the armor and chainmail before he had ushered the trio out.

Gaius was so deeply concentrating on his work that he almost missed the chanting from the other bed.

*"... Ahlúttre þá séocnes. Þurhhæle bræd. Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare. Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ!"*

Gaius looked up in time to see Merlin's eyes glow. As Gwaine began to breath deeper, but not quite as deeply as normal, Merlin crumpled.

While Gaius had missed the first spell, he knew the later three. All were powerful healing spells that were known to work wonders on poisons and infection. Merlin was usually drained after one spell and exhausted with two, and he had used four!

Knowing that the knight wouldn't have gone far, Gaius called loudly for them, hoping they were near enough to hear him. He needn't have worried, because not two seconds later Leon was poking his head into the room. One look at the collapsed servant on the floor told Leon why he had been called.

"Check him for injuries while I finish up here with the king. He had a pension for head and rib injuries, so check those first." Gaius ordered has he slowly pulled the sharp sword shard from the blonde's side with a pair of long tweezers. As he finally removed the piece of Mordred's blade he quickly began stitching up the wound. He was nearly done when Leon gave his report.

o=(======= .*･｡ﾟ｡･*. =======)=o

Leon had carried Merlin up to his chamber before checking him over. Leon started by probing through the raven locks. He found a sizable lump that was well hidden under all the dark hair.

Next he removed the lad's shirt. Leon had not expected what he saw there. Merlin had tightly wrapped his ribs earlier that night, so there were bandages clearly visible, but that was not what drew the knight's attention. Merlin was covered with scars!

They littered his neck, arms, and all of his currently visible torso. There were possibly more scars on this single servant than on all the Knights of the Round Table. And considering the extent of Leon's own collection, which was a feat in itself.

After removing the wrapping from around the skinny man's waist he knew Merlin had some major stories to tell. As he carefully prodded the large bruise on the man's left side, he noted three severely bruised ribs, three cracked, and one possibly broken.

After that the ribs, Leon checked under the slightly spotted bandage on servant's left arm. The gash was shallow and wide and the skin was more torn than cut. After the arms and hands had been checked, he carefully checked legs. There was a bulge on the lad's left thigh, Leon reluctantly removed the man's trousers.

It wasn't than Leon hadn't seen a man naked, no, he had been bathing in the summer with all the knights. Arthur too. But this was different. Merlin hadn't chosen to let himself be seen this way. So, as he removed the thin and dirty garment, he placed the blanket from the bed in such a way that Merlin was never truly exposed.

After his conscience had been satisfied, Leon checked the wound under the bandage. I was nearly identical to the one on Merlin's arm. From what Leon could tell, it looked like a wall had collapsed on the man's left side, bruising the majority of it and cutting the limbs. The theory would also explain the bump on the head.

With this theory in mind, Leon pulled off Merlin's left boot and sock. As he suspected the appendage was swollen and bruised and two of the toes were either broken or dislocated. How had the man made it up the stairs, let alone cared for Arthur the past few days?

Covering the striped man completely with the blanket, Leon went back to the main chamber to report his findings to Gaius, who had some explaining to do. Merlin could not have hidden all of those injuries without the physician's help, so Leon knew the old man had at least some of the answers.


	8. Chapter 8

(Small chunks from Diamond of the Day part 2)

"I have finished checking over Merlin's injuries. He was bruising of most of his left side, seven damaged ribs, a large, but shallow, gash on his left arm and leg, two damaged digits on his left foot, and a palm sized welt on the back of his head." Leon's tone was distant and impersonal. This tone is what made the old physician look up from his stitching and one look at Leon's face made Gaius realize his mistake.

The old man had forgotten that all the knights did not know about Merlin's scars. Lancelot had been there for quite a few of them. Elyan had found out when Merlin had been taking too long to gather firewood during a summer hunt and had caught Merlin bathing in the stream. Merlin had only told Percival about the serket sting and the burn from Nimue. Gwaine knew about the Famorrah, the chain cuts and the serket sting, as well as scar on Merlin's leg from the fall from the ridge two months ago, but Leon had never seen any of Merlin's ever growing collection of blemishes.

Knowing what was running through the knight's head, Gaius decided to cut him off before he could start asking questions.

"Get Sir Percival to help you with Merlin. He has helped in the past and knows where everything is kept."

To this Leon nodded and left the room to find the quiet knight.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Percival had been with Leon when Gaius had called for him. Fearing something had happened with Gwaine while the old physician and his apprentice worked on saving Arthur, Percival sat on the floor of the hallway near Gaius's door. He wanted to be close enough to help if needed, but not so close that he could hear what was going on in the healer's room.

So, when Leon stepped out of the room with a grim look on his face, Percy quickly got to his feet and waited for the news. What he heard replaced one worry with another.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Seeing burly knight not too far off, Leon decided to help Merlin first and ask question later, so he skipped straight to asking for Percival's help. "Merlin collapsed and I need your help to treat him. Gaius says you know where to find the things we will need." The silent giant, nodded and followed his curly headed friend back into the chamber.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

The first thing Percival noticed was that Gwaine was breathing better and he was less pale than he had been. Then he notice Gaius applying a honey and herb mixture to a new wound about the length of his hand on the king's side. He eyes scanned the room for the thin man, but he was nowhere to be seen. Percival looked to Leon, who pointed to door to Merlin's room.

Percival had not seen Merlin when he had snuck past him as Gaius had pushed the three of them out, but one look at him now made the kind knight's heart drop. The man, who had become the little brother to majority of the knights, looked worse off than Gwaine did. He was extra pale, his breathing was shallow, he had a hint of bruising at his hairline, and he was shivering under the thin blanket that was spread over him. The fresh pile of clothes beside the bed told the knight that Merlin was nude beneath the cloth.

"Most of his injuries are on his left side," came Leon's voice from behind him. "but beware. You may be shocked by what you see." Again, Percival nodded. Pulling back the blanket, the large knight saw that Lancelot, Elyan, and Leon hadn't exaggerated.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Years ago, Percival had noticed that Merlin would only swim with Lancelot and Elyan. They had tried to hide the fact by telling the others to go ahead, while they stayed back and set up camp. When the others returned they would then take their turn in the water. At the end of that summer, Percival had finally asked why.

Elyan had sent a questioning look at Lancelot, who gave him a small nod.

"Merlin has a lot of scars that he really doesn't want to have to explain to Arthur and Gwaine. His face is probably the only part of him that doesn't have one."

A few months after Lancelot had died, Percival had witnessed Merlin wince and suck in a hissing breath breathe while carrying armor. When Percival asked about it, Merlin gave him an embarrassed look and told him about how when there was a storm rolling in that an old burn wound on his chest would twinge and that his serket sting from years ago would burn.

Percival had asked him how he had survived, because it was well known that serket venom was fatal. Merlin had looked fearfully at the knight before muttering something about druids and a healing spell.

Percival, being the kind of man he was, had accepted that answer and had never given it a second thought until now.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gwen had been awake for an hour when Sir Brennis informed her of Arthur and Merlin's return. She wasted no time in racing to the healer's chambers with the young girl that had returned with Gwaine and Percival on her heels.

The girl was the only reason Sir Gwaine had survived the trip back to Camelot according to Sir Percival, though he refused to explain how. Gwen's theory was that the dark headed girl was a druid and had used magic to save Gwaine, but she had no proof to back it up and the girl refused to talk to anyone. Despite the girl's refusal to talk, she clung to Gwen and Percival as if her life depended on it.

Upon entering Gaius's room the girl quickly latched on to Gwen's arm at the sight of the five men in chamber. The girl knew Percival and Gwaine, but she had yet to meet Arthur, Gaius, and Leon. So, as Gwen rushed to the sleeping Arthur, the girl scurried over to where Percival was sitting at Gwaine's bedside.

While Gwen questioned Gaius about Arthur's health, Percival watched as the girl examined Gwaine with a confused crinkle in her brow. It was obvious that she liked Gwaine, but her befuddlement at his improved health puzzled the big man. Both the knight and the child were shocked when the long haired knight began to stir.

Gwaine opened his eyes as Gaius rushed over at Percival request. Taking one look at the girl, Gwaine smiled. "Your father is going to be glad to see you Bran…" he said before unconsciousness reclaimed him. Gaius's infamous eyebrows were nearly to his hairline when Percival shifted his gaze from that of the stunned face of the child to that of the old man.

Percival could have sworn he heard the words "She can't be" come from the physician's mouth as he turned to the child. As the eyes of the two met there was instant understanding on both of their faces. The child then gave the old man a questioning look which he answered by pointing to Merlin's room.

As the girl ran to the servant's chamber, Percival turned to question the physician when he was stopped by a muffled scream. As the four conscious people in the main chamber rushed up the steps to their friend's room they heard a small, sobbing voice saying "No no no! Taddy wake up! Please Taddy!"

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

A day earlier, Branwen Alura had been wandering aimlessly through the forest when two men rode past her. She had heard the horses and had hidden it the low hanging branches of a nearby evergreen tree. She knew the two the moment she laid eyes on them.

Her father had told her about the "Great man-bear" knight known as Percival and the Cheeky, long haired Gwaine, both of which she thought of as uncles. Knowing that these two men would help her, she followed them to nearby gully as they set up an ambush. She knew she would only be in the way, so she hid nearby and waited.

As Branwen watched, another person from her father's story walked into the trap with a few men. She watched as her uncles took out all of the lady's men and stabbed the lady herself. From the tales, the girl was not surprised when the woman used magic to knock out and tie up her uncles.

Uncle Gwaine woke up first. The lady talked with him for a little while before pulling out a small snake. Taddy had told her about how the lady had used a snake like the one the witch held now to get information from Uncle Elyan years ago. Branwen knew Uncle Gwaine would need help, so she ran to help Uncle Percy get free to do just that.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Percival was still unconscious when she approached him. Reaching out with her magic she managed to rouse him. Upon waking up Percival sees that he is tied to two huge trees with the rope wrapped around his wrists several times. As he tests the ropes Branwen readied her magic again.

Suddenly, Gwaine screamed in the distance. Percival, slightly panicked, grabs ahold of the ropes with his hands and pulls, his face turning red with effort. With a little help from the young girl hiding a short distance away, the ropes break and he fell to his knees. He quickly gets up and rushes in the direction of a new set of screams, Branwen follows him.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

When Percival finds him, Gwaine is slumped over and Morgana is gone. Percival carefully reaches out and lifts Gwaine's head up. He is awake, but in extreme pain.

"She's riding for the Isle of the Blessed." He manages to get out as he struggles to breath.

Percival, shocked at his closest friend's state, mumbles "Gwaine."

"At least I haven't failed Arthur this time." Gwaine states has he start to lose consciousness.

"No. You certainly haven't." the gentle giant responds.

As the injured knight's eyes roll back in his head and he goes limp in Percival's hands, the large knight softly calls out, "Gwaine! Gwaine!"

Barely feeling a pulse, Percival leans forward and rest his forehead against that if his best friend's.

Just when he thought Gwaine had breathed his last breath, Percival heard some quiet chanting to his right. Glancing up, he saw a girl who looked to be no older than twelve with black hair that reached her waist, pale skin, and eye the color of pond ice.

Or at least they were until she finished her spell and placed her hand over the fang marks on the dying knight's neck. As her eyes flashed gold, she fell to her knees and Gwaine took in a stuttering, but deep, breath.

Percival watched as the girl held up her hand that she had touched Gwaine with, to show a sticky black substance on her palm. Her face was scrunched up in pain as she wiped the sludge off her flesh and onto the rope holding Gwaine in place. The rope sizzled and snapped only moments later.

As he gathered Gwaine up in his arms he saw how the child was cradling her hand to her chest in pain. So, without thinking he draped his friends limp form over his shoulder and held his free hand out to the girl.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

On their hurried trip back to Camelot, Gwaine never stirred from his position of lying across his saddle. The girl rode on Percival's horse in front on the big knight. She had been reluctant to go with him to Camelot, but after he promised her he would not tell a soul about her magic and that he would protect her with his life, she had nodded her acceptance.

Upon reaching Camelot, Percival sent guard baring Sir Gwaine to Gaius before scooping up the sleeping girl and heading off to find the queen. Gaius would have his hands full with Gwaine, so Gwen was the only other person currently in Camelot who could treat the girl's hand.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

After the two knights had disappeared, Gwen and Gaius had quickly figured out where they had gone, but there was nothing she could do about it. Seeing Percival's arrival and a figure draped over the saddle of the other horse and feared the worst, the queen rushed to meet the burly knight. The two nearly collided in the hallway as they rushed to find each other.

The sleeping child was the only reason Gwen did not berate the knight right there in the main corridor. Instead she raised her eyebrow questioningly. He responded by showing there the nasty burn on the girl's palm. Nodding her understanding, Gwen led him to her chambers where she kept her personal physician kit.

Surprisingly the child slept through to the entire cleaning and bandaging of the wound. After settling the girl in the servant chamber just off the main room, Gwen set Percival down for an hour of questioning and lecturing before she sent him off to check on Gwaine.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

When dinner was ready, Gwen sent Percival to wake the girl so she could eat and get properly introduced. When Percival exited the side room, the child peering apprehensively from her position huddled to the man's chest.

The sight sent Gwen's mind back to the incident with the Lamia. The resemblance was astonishing. For a moment, Gwen wondered if the child was a Lamia, but she quick dropped the idea after she was introduced to the girl.

"Honey, I would like you to meet a friend of mine. Her name is Gwen."

At the mention of the queen's name, a brilliant smile broke out across the girl's face, she jumped down from the knight's arms, stumbled, and ran to Gwen, who she gave a crushing hug.

There was no way anyone could think that this child was a Lamia after that reaction.

For a moment Gwen thought the sweetheart was Merlin's daughter because of the hair, skin, grin, slenderness, and clumsiness, but she looked much too old to be his missing child.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

After all the food was eaten, Gwen had water brought up so the girl could have a bath. It set up in the side room, but took a bit of convincing to keep the girl from hiding in the main room when the servants with the tub and pails of water showed up. She was scared and took to hiding behind Gwen's skirt or behind Percival's legs before he went to sit with Gwaine.

Once all of the servants were gone, the girl eyed the tub wearily. Gwen had to stick her hand in the water to prove that it was safe and the she had to lock the door before the girl would even approach the water. Gwen even had to promise to stay in the room while she bathed.

During the bath, Gwen took some of her old dresses from her time as a maid and altered them to fit the tall child in the tub. She had known that it was a good idea to keep the clothing, despite Arthur's protests… Gods! She hoped the he was safe… He had Merlin with him, so he would make it home.

As the child got out of the bath, Gwen barely stifled a gasp when she saw the girl's back. It was covered in new healed whip marks. A few of them still had scabs! No wonder the girl was scared, she had been flogged! When asked about it after she was dressed, the child seemed to get lost in her memories and began whimpering and shaking.

Gwen wrapped the girl in a hug as tears began to pour down her face. It took nearly an hour for the tears to stop. By this time the poor thing was barely awake. Gwen tried to get the child to sleep, but she just shake her head and hug the queen tighter. In the end they both ended up sleeping in the servant chamber that night.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

The next morning after breakfast, Gwen explained to the girl that as queen, she would be need later.

"Percival will come and get you and introduce you to Leon and Gaius. He will also take you to see Gwaine too if you want too. Would you like that?" The girl nodded excitedly, jumping up and down, clapping her hands.

She stopped suddenly when there was a loud rapping at the door. As Gwen walked to answer the door, the child hid behind a nearby pillar. From there she heard the following.

"Ah! Sir Brennis! What brings you to my chambers so early this morning?" the queen asked sweetly.

"Milady. I would have informed you when it first occurred, but Gaius told me to wait until morning…" can a deep voice from outside of the door.

"Brennis? What's happened?" Gwen was afraid she might hear of Gwaine's passing, but she needed to know regardless.

"An hour before dawn the king and his manservant returned. The king was badly wounded and Gaius wanted time to treat him before your arrival." Gwen gasped.

"He's back?! I must see him at once!" and with that she took off down the corridor.

Brennis only had time to blink before a raven haired child shot out of the royal chambers running to catch up to the queen.

o=(======= .* ∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Branwen was barely keeping up with the queen as they ran through the halls, down stairs, across a courtyard, and up different flight of stairs. She finally caught up to Gwen as she entered a room that smelt like Taddy's work satchel.

As they walked in, Branwen heard an old voice say something about a snake head controlling someone? That couldn't be right, could it? Taddy did say odd things happened in this city, but she was still skeptical.

One look at the room and Branwen froze, grabbing Gwen's arm to ground her.

'This is where Taddy works! The old man talking must be Grandpa Gaius! So the blonde man sitting across from him must be Uncle Leon, because the sleeping and injured blonde has to be Taddy's best friend, Arthur!' Suddenly, she was very self-conscious.

These were the three men whose opinion her father valued most in the world. Not knowing how to act around the three new men, Branwen's focus settled on Percival and Gwaine.

Suddenly, Gwen ripped her arm away from Branwen and rushed to Arthur as Gaius and Leon rose from their seats. Not wanting to remain standing in the doorway, she raced over to the two men she at least knew.

As she got closer to the two men she felt a familiar magical presence. Taddy's! But why would Uncle Gwaine have Taddy's magic in him? Unless…

As soon as she reached Gwaine's bedside she began checking him over. As she had thought, her father had had used healing magic on him to remove the last of the snake's venom and repaired the majority of damage the acid had done to the knight's lungs.

'But Taddy was rubbish at healing. How had he managed something this complex?' She wondered to herself.

Her eyes widened as the knight began to stir.

'He should have slept for the rest of the day at least! Taddy is right. Uncle Gwaine is stubborn!' she thought as Percival called for Gaius.

As Gwaine slowly opened his eyes, they locked onto her face. A smile quickly filled his face. "Your father is going to be glad to see you Bran…" he didn't manage to finish her name before he fell back asleep.

A small gasp behind her, made Branwen turn to look at Gaius as he whispered "She can't be". As they locked eyes, she reached out with her mind and spoke into the the old man's mind.

"Hi Grandpa Gaius."

"Branwen Alura?"

"Hi. Where is Taddy? I can feel his magic in Uncle Gwaine, but where is he?"

"In his room" At the same time he said this in her mind, he also raised his hand and pointed.

"Thank you!" she sent as she ran up the steps to her father's room.

All she wanted to do right now was to hug her father and tell him what had happened to her since she had last seen him. There was a grin on her face when she pushed open the door. She expected him to still be asleep, seeing as it was barely past dawn, but she had not expected him to look deathly ill and barely breathing!

She barely managed to cover her mouth a scream ripped through her. This could not be happening! She ignored the clatter from the lower chamber was raced to her father's side.

"No no no! Taddy wake up! Please Taddy!" she cried out softly as she kissed his chilled hand.


	9. Chapter 9

Standing there in the doorway, things were suddenly becoming clearer and more confusing at the same time for the Physician, Queen, and Knights.

Gaius had been told by Hunith, when she had had come to Camelot a few months back, that Merlin's wife had been a very tall woman, so adding in the fact that Merlin himself was far from short, explained why the tall weeping child had been mistaken for an older child. What confused the old man was how she had spoken with him earlier. Merlin had tried for years to speak into Gaius's head, but never succeeded. Now a child of ten had done it effortlessly. After the revelation that Merlin was a father, the mentor and student had converse at length about the child's abilities. So it came as no surprise that the true condition of her father was not lost on the child, but why she had reacted so brokenly did.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gwen was had earlier eliminated the possibility that the girl she had spent the previous day with was Merlin's daughter, but now she was proven wrong. The girl looked around 12 years old and was tall for that age, but the child was only 10! She had been missing for several months and apparently had been flogged during that time, if the marks on her back were any indication. Who would have done such a thing to a child as sweet and loving as the one who had fallen asleep in her arms the night before?

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Percival finally understood some of the things that had been said by the thin servant over the past few years. The fact that Merlin was a father explained how he knew how to handle the King's moods. It also explained the girl's personality and actions the day before. This also explained why Merlin had never mentioned the girl's existence. If Arthur or Gwen had known beforehand they would have forced the poor man into letting them meet her, but that was too dangerous. The child had magic. This also explained why Merlin almost always stood up for magic users against Arthur. The real question for the large knight was why it took seeing her father badly injured to get her to talk?

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Leon was sure that if he let go of the doorframe that he would fall over. From what Gaius had told him so far about Merlin's scars, Leon knew the servant had given up a lot to protect Arthur. But giving up raising his daughter? That was devotion in the highest of levels. Merlin had a completely different life than the knight had ever thought possible. How could someone as loyal and kind as Merlin had kept the fact he was a father for them for ten years? How had he kept all of his past injuries from coming to light? Arthur practically works the bo... no, man to the death with all the tasks he gives him, how had he managed while he had been injured? The more Leon knew about Merlin, the less he really understood.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Branwen was beside herself. She could feel how drained her father was, both physically and magically. He should have known better than to do healing magic while tired, let alone hurt! Why did he always have to help everyone but himself? As she kissed his hand she shared some of her energy and magic with him. This would help, but he would likely sleep for a few days. His breathing worried her the most. Her father was prone to rib injuries, that much she had known for as long as she could remember, but he also tended to underplay them. She remembered a time when Taddy had come to visit her and had turned out to have a chest infection from a untreated rib wound. But this was worse than that time and there was nothing she could do in front of the queen and the head knight. Feeling so useless caused her to continue to cry. She just wanted a hug and someone to assure her that her father would be better soon. He would be fine, but it would take time.


	10. Chapter 10

Gwen and the men stood there in Merlin's doorway, staring at the father and daughter just a few feet away, until Gaius decided they had intruded for long enough. He gently pushed the queen into the room to comfort the crying child before turning and leading the two knights back down to the main chamber so he could finish his story that Gwen and Branwen had interrupted.

All she had really needed was that push. Gwen quickly and quietly went to the child and pulled her into a hug. She could hear the muffled voice of Gaius in the room below, but she ignored it and started humming.

She didn't know where the tune came from, she was sure she had heard it before, but it calmed the girl, which was all that mattered. They both sat on the floor, well, Branwen was curled up in the queen's lap, but that was fine with both of them. After what seemed like days Branwen joined Gwen in her humming, but with a counter melody.

Suddenly, Gwen knew where she knew that tune from. It was the one Merlin would occasionally use while cleaning! That was a song the father and daughter shared!

Gwen could hardly believe there had been a hint to the fact that Merlin had a child. It had been right under their nose all these years! She had often wondered about the tune, but had never gotten around to asking him about it.

The queen felt a warm feeling of pride in her chest. As the feeling grew, she shifted her focus from the child in her lab to her best friend asleep in the bed beside her. At that moment, the warm feeling was replaced with cold dread. He was covered in sweat and was shivering.

Merlin was feverish.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Once the two men were seated Gaius started where he had left off, ignoring the confused and shocked looks on the men's faces.

"As I was saying, the Fomorroh removes a person's will and replaces it with a task. Morgana had placed one of the beast's heads in the back of Merlin's neck. His task was to kill Arthur. Leon do you remember giving the boy a crossbow?"

Leon had been staring at the closed door to the servant's chamber ever since he had sat down, but he had been listening to Gaius. At the mention of the crossbow, the blond knight's head snapped to stare at the physician as all color drained from his face.

"Merlin was serious?! I thought he had been joking when he said he was going to use it to kill Arthur… If he had succeeded, I would have helped kill the king…" Leon said in a tight and quiet voice.

"He failed, and you are not to blame here Sir Leon. Morgana used a dark power to try to kill her brother, but she hadn't counted on Gwen and I noticing Merlin's odd behavior." Gaius stated in a faintly amused tone. In hindsight, the tale was rather humorous.

Turning to Percival, Gaius had one question that had been nagging at him for nearly five years. "Percival, did you really tell Dragoon that he would be getting shorter if you had your way?"

Leon and Percival quickly shared a shocked look before Leon posed his question. "Where did you hear about that? The four of us swore to never tell anyone about that incident, so how could you have possibly have known that?!" Leon's voice was a panicked whisper as he didn't want the queen to know how four of the best fighters in Albion had been used as a step stool for the old sorcerer.

"So you really did say that!" Gaius laughed. "What about the 'Ale in your ears' part? Did he really say that to Gwaine?"

The old physician had been skeptical of the version that Merlin had told him, but now he had a chance to verify the whole tale. The look on the two blondes' faces was confirmation enough for Gaius. Composing himself, Gaius continued.

"Well, after Gwen knocked Merlin out with a pitcher, I drugged the head and Merlin ran off to kill the mother beast. How he did it you will have to ask him. So, that is where the scar across his collarbone and the one on the back of his neck came to be. Which scar would you like me to tell you about next?"

Gaius knew he had turned their thoughts away from the fact the Merlin was a father by mentioning Dragoon, but he wasn't sure for how long. He had already told them an edited version of the Nimue fireball scar story and the one about the serket and chains marks. He could only guess which scar was next on their mental list.

"What about that large one on his left shoulder? How did he get that one?" Gaius was stunned to hear so many words come out of the large knight's mouth at one time.

Smiling, Gaius answered the question with one word. "Arthur."

Gaius couldn't help but chuckle as the knights' mouths dropped open.

"Arthur did that to Merlin?! When?!" Leon was racking his brain trying to understand how and when that could have happened.

"Don't feel bad that you never knew it happened, Leon. Arthur hit him with a mace before Merlin became a servant. Arthur doesn't even know that his mace even hit Merlin! It still twinges when a bad storm is rolling in, but other than that, I think the boy has forgotten it is even there." With that said, the smile slid off Gaius's face.

"How can someone forget that they have a nasty scar? Especially when you serve the person who gave it to you?" Leon really wasn't expecting an answer, but Gaius gave one, never the less.

"Merlin is forgiving in nature and the wound was nothing compared to the beatings he got regularly back home in Ealdor. He actually forgot about it a week after it happened. Now ten years later, he only remembers it when he pulls it or if it hurts. Most of his scars are like that. He only keeps them hidden so everyone else doesn't feel uncomfortable around him. So please, don't act different just because you know. That would break his heart. And he has had more than his share of heartbreak for two life times…"

Gaius hadn't meant to remind the men about Merlin's little girl who was just in the other room, but he had.

Leon's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Where is the girl's mother, Gaius?"

Gaius sighed. "I didn't even know about any of this until after the Sarrum was killed. Hunith ended up telling me everything while she was here. Merlin's wife died giving birth to the child you saw earlier. She wasn't the only one Merlin lost that day."

At this point the physician paused to collect his thoughts.

"His wife had previously had twin with her first husband and she had twins with Merlin as well. Bridget died before either of the girls were born. The midwife had to cut the babies out. Branwen was first and she was fine, but the other one… She... She died the next morning. Merlin could hardly take care of himself in his grief, but he had a newborn and two four year olds to care for. Hunith helped as much as she could, but Merlin didn't want any help. A week later Bridget's aunt showed up to take care of the baby as she lost her own not long before. A few weeks after that, the twins' grandmother on their father's side came and took the two away. James and Lillian were the only one keeping Merlin sane, so when they were taken from him, he…"

Gaius couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence. Taking a deep breath, he continued.

"This all happen in mid-winter and the weather was foul. After the twins were gone, Merlin walked outside and no one saw him for a week. He had taken no cloak, blanket, or even a jacket. Hunith was sure that when the storm cleared that her son would be found frozen to death. She was wrong. He was found in a shallow cave not too far from the village, cold, but alive."

Both knights were numb. They didn't know how to feel at the moment and they didn't have time to figure it out before Gaius continued.

"It took two month for him to be strong enough to leave his hut. Not long after that was when Hunith sent him here to Camelot for me to help him get on with his life. Meeting Arthur was best thing that could have happened to him, well next to becoming Arthur's servant. Merlin needed to be needed and Arthur needed Merlin as much as Merlin needed Arthur."

Gaius stopped to wipe away the tears that had begun to trickle down his face.

"If Merlin and Arthur had never met, then I fear they would both have died a long time ago. If Arthur ever rejected him completely, Merlin would lose his will to live. Sure, he love his daughter, but she could easily go on without him. If you didn't know why Merlin has always been so loyal to Arthur, it was because Arthur was every reason he had for living."

Both knights were teary eyed, but those tears never fell because at that moment three things happened. First, Gwaine turned over and fell out of the cot. Second, Arthur began to stir and groan. And lastly, Gwen and Branwen emerged from the upper room.

At that moment, Gaius was torn. Should he go and check Merlin over himself like he had planned to do earlier, should he make sure that Gwaine hadn't harmed himself in the fall, or should he help the slowly waking king? Before he could decide, the decision was made for him.

"Gaius! Merlin is burning up! I'll check on Arthur and Branwen here can check Gwaine over." The queen had figured out what was going on as soon as she set foot outside of Merlin's chambers. She knew Gaius would be conflicted, so she made his path clear.

After shifting the king to a slightly more comfortable position, he quickly settled back into a deep sleep. Gwaine was much the same. After Percival had placed him back on the cot, but now in the position he usually slept in, he was soon sound asleep. Merlin on the other hand, was different story altogether.

The gash on his arm and leg both were infected from having been poorly tended the first few days and his foot was inflamed. Add to that the fact that Merlin probably hadn't bothered to eat or drink anything for the past few days, Gaius knew it was going to be a long day.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It took until midafternoon, but Gaius and Gwen had managed to bring Merlin's fever to a reasonable level. During this time, the young man's bed was brought down to the main chamber by Leon and Percival. It was placed near the center of the room where Merlin could be kept an eye on without hindering the physician's ability to care for his other patients, both of which were now awake.

Gwaine woke first to see Leon hauling water into the room. Gwaine's focus then shifted to Gaius and Gwen, who received the water. Then he noticed that it was Merlin that were caring for. 'What did he do to himself this time?' Gwaine asked, but not just to himself.

A sudden shifting to his other side caused Gwaine to turn his head to see what was going on. He saw the girl from earlier, Merlin's girl, curled up in a sleeping Percival's arms, staring wide-eyed at him.

'Did you mean to let me hear you ask yourself what Taddy did to himself this time?' came a young, feminine voice in his head.

Gwaine blinked.

'No...' came a hesitant response as Gwaine's eyebrows scrunched in concentration and confusion.

A Merlin-like grin broke out across her face, but was quickly replaced with a worried frown

'Please don't hate us, but Taddy and I have magic…' She paused when a hurt look crossed the knight's face. This wasn't what she had expected, but she preferred it to anger, so she continued.

'We both used it to remove that snake's poison from your body. Taddy is terrible at healing, but he managed to remove the last of the venom that I had not been able to draw out and he repaired most of the damage it had caused.' At this, a fond smile slid onto his worn face, but it changed into a frown as she continued.

'All of this drained him. He was hurt and tired when he did it, causing him to collapse. If he hadn't done what he did you would have died, Uncle Gwaine.'

Gwaine was shocked. First, Merlin had harmed himself to save his friend, but it was the second thing that really got to him.

'"Uncle Gwaine"?' He thought.

'Yes. Taddy has told me all about you. How you use drink and ladies to make people underestimate you. Taddy thinks the world of you. Next to the king and queen, you are his best friend. You give him the strength to keep going. That is why you are my uncle, Gwaine. Thank you for helping him all this time, he would have lost himself without you.' She then gave him a teary smile.

Gwaine didn't know what to say or how to feel at that moment. But before he could sort it out, a loud voice rang through the room, the voice of a person Gwaine hadn't even know was in the room.

"What the Hell happened to Merlin?!"

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Arthur remembered Merlin helping him onto the horse, but after that all his memories were hazy. He vaguely remembered reaching the main gate and the trip up to Gaius's room. Other than that, he had no clue what had happened.

So, when the king woke up and saw his best friend and protector deathly pale, covered in bandages, and sweating profusely, he was utterly confused. This confusion turned to concern when he noticed his wife and Gaius worriedly trying to cool the sick man down with wet rags.

"What the Hell happened to Merlin?!" slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it.

He tried to get up and go to his friend, but a sharp pain in his side blurred his senses and made him remember why he was in the room. A low hiss escaped him as he fell back. When his vision cleared, he was surrounded by Gaius, Leon, Gwen, Percival, and a girl who looked exactly like a female version of Merlin, but with pale icy eyes instead of brilliant blue.

As Arthur tried to think of something to say to the group of people gathered around him, a playful voice called out from across the room.

"Hey Percy! Don't just leave me over here! I want to see the princess too!"

Now Arthur was really confused! Merlin was injured and apparently Gwaine was too! What all had he missed? How long had he been asleep? When had they found Branwen? Because there is no way this girl was anyone else.

Lost in his thoughts, the king missed the inquiring look the big knight sent at the physician who nodded his approval. He did, however, see the knight set the girl down and walk over to the man who was laying on his stomach on Gaius's bed. In fact, from that position, Gwaine couldn't even see the king.

Arthur's view of the two knights was blocked as Gaius checked the wound on his side. Apparently his attempt at getting up had torn several of his stitches. When Gaius moved to get the supplies to tend the laceration, he sent Gwen back to Merlin's side, and allowed Arthur to see Percival lead a very weak Gwaine to the chair between the two beds, near the hearth.

As Gaius re-stitched the king's injury, Leon filled Arthur in on everything he knew, minus the bit about the scars. After the story, the king sent the knight to inform the council of his return and to see to getting the burial of the fallen knights underway. By this time Merlin's fever was no longer dangerously high, so Gwen kissed her husband and went to see that the widows and orphans of those who died were being cared for. Lastly, Gaius sent Percival and Branwen out with instructions for the girls to be fed and allowed to rest.

This left the Perilous Trio and Gaius alone in the room.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Percival had taken Branwen down to the kitchens to get himself and the girl some food. He had planned on taking the food up to Gwen's room, but as soon as the head cook saw them she came charging over. Audrey was scary enough to someone Percival's size, so he could only imagine how scared Branwen was right now. So, it was more than a little surprising to the large knight when the girl rushed to the woman instead of fleeing.

"Branwen! Where have you been! Your father has been worried sick!" Audrey bellowed as she pulled the girl into a hug.

The cook stiffened as Branwen whispered something into her ear.

"Sir Percival! Why did no one tell me Merlin was back?! Is Bran right when she says he collapsed?! Answer me right now sir knight!"

Percival's eyes were large with fear and shock, which brought a small smile to both of the ladies' faces.

"Sorry Percival. I didn't mean to scare you, it's just that Merlin is my nephew-in-law. Silvian, the woman who raised Branwen, was my sister."

If it had been possible, Percival's eyes would have gotten even wider at this announcement.

Seeing that she was not likely to get any information from the knight in his current state, the woman turned to the child in her arms.

"Bran? How bad is your Taddy?"

The little girl's eyes were filled with sadness and tears.

"He exhausted himself while injured, then he healed Uncle Gwaine!" now she was sobbing openly into her Aunt's shoulder.

Audrey's eyes fearfully locked on to the knight's face. "Bran, honey? Does Percy know about your… you know…" The cook received a nod a small nod on her shoulder.

"What about your Taddy's?" The child stiffened suddenly.

She spun around and looked into the large knight's eyes. "Uncle Percy, I have to tell you something and you have to promise not to panic or do anything stupid. Alright?" After she received a confused nod from the giant she walked over to him and whispered into his ear as he leaned down.

"My Taddy, Merlin, has magic. He has always had it and he loves Camelot and almost everyone in it. He has been protecting his home here since he got here. I know you know about the time Mor… She took over his mind with the snakehead. I heard Grandpa Gaius tell you. What you don't know is… That old man, the one that used you, Leon and Elyan to get onto the horse, was Taddy…" As she finished saying this she stepped back to watch the knight's face.

She was pleased to see understanding and shame on his face instead of anger and pain.

"He saved us all at Camlann… He is the reason Gwaine is getting better instead of dying like Gaius thought he would?" The big man asked the girl. She nodded.

"And all his scars, they are from all the times he has saved Camelot?" He questioned.

"What scars?" Both ladies asked at the same time.

"Wait. He hid the scars from his own family?" Percival was perplexed now.

"Are you saying Merlin has scars? No, no! He would have told me if he was hurt! He knows I could always get someone to help with the king if he needed it. Why would he hid this from us?" Audrey did not really want an answer to her questions.

The cook stopped her fuming when Branwen's stomach growled. At this moment, Percival saw Audrey as broody hen and Branwen as a little chick. "Are you hungry baby girl?"

The child grinned and nodded. Grabbing Percival's hand in her left and Audrey's hand with her right, she was lead to the servants' dining table.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

After she ate lunch, Branwen could hardly keep her eyes open. After giving her father all that energy and magic she had felt drained. Then the scare with Taddy and the king had gotten her adrenaline going, but that was wearing off. Now her back was hurting again, but she wasn't going to tell anyone… Not after what happened when the queen saw.

As Uncle Percy carried her to the queen's chambers, she thought of the kind woman's reaction. Her own memories of what had happened came flooding to the surface.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Her aunt Silvian, who had been a mother to her, just died. She had tried to save her, but failed. It had looked like a simple snakebite, but apparently not. Aunt Sil had died painfully. It was too much for a ten year old to deal with. Aunt Leila had been helping, but she was too busy to notice how hard this was on the child. After Silvian had taken her last breath, Branwen burst into tears and ran.

She ran until she collapsed and fell asleep.

When she woke up, she was confronted by men in leather armor on horses. Their leader was a shortish man with a nearly bald head.

"What a pretty thing." The leader was looking at her as if she was a prize hound. "Albin, collect her. She shall ride with you until we reach Camelot"

A tall man with bare arms climbed down off his horse and began walking toward her.

Branwen didn't even think, she just got up and ran. She didn't get far before she felt a hand wrap around her upper arm. Without thinking, her magic sent the man flying. Moments later she heard horses behind her, seconds after that she felt a sharp pain right before she blacked out.

When she finally came to, she was tied to a tree with a cloth tied over her eyes and a gag in her mouth. She tried to use her shoulder to displace the blindfold, but a pain in her head caused her to hiss in pain.

"Ah! Our guest is awake!" It the leader from before. "What is it with the beautiful dark haired women in Camelot having magic? Though, I think this one will rival Morgana in a few years. It is a pity really, but magic must be controlled. Kalev, take her back to Amata and place her in Morgana's old room. If she tries to escape, let the cat out of the bag."

She felt herself being cut free from the tree and lifted onto a horse. After what seemed like days she was ungagged just long enough to drink some stale water before they set off again. The pain in her head caused her to fall in and out of consciousness.

After riding for what felt like an eternity, Branwen woke in the bottom of an old well. The blindfold and gag were gone now, but she was chained to circular wall. Using her magic, she unshackled herself and held her throbbing head in her hands. Sitting like this she fell asleep.

She jerked awake by a set of hands lifting her off the ground by her wrists. Her vision was still blurred by pain and sleep, so Branwen could not see who was moving her. Suddenly there was a deep voice by her ear.

"The Sarrum warned you. You try to escape, you get the cat. You unlocked your chains, here in Amata, that is attempting to escape."

She felt her hands being chained over her head right before her dress was pulled up and wrapped around her hands.

"I would want to ruin your pretty dress now would I?" The voice held a cruel nasally whine to it now.

The next thing Branwen knew was searing pain across her back as she was introduced to a cat o' nine tails. This was only the first time.

After that every time she did any magic, she got the cat. The last time she was whipped was the day that the news of the Sarrum's death reached Kalev. He beat her and then left her in the woods outside of the pit as a treat for the wild beasts.


	11. Chapter 11

Percival was barely out of the kitchen before Branwen was asleep in his arms. Looking at the child, he couldn't help but think of how unusual her life had been so far. She never knew her mother, rarely saw her father, lived in Camelot while having magic in her very blood, and being raised like a daughter to a woman she knew was her great aunt. Her life was chaotic, yet stable. Her life was like her father's personality…

Percival's thought train was interrupted when Branwen started jerking and whimpering in his arms. Not knowing exactly what to do, the large knight picked up his pace as he continued to the queen's chamber. With every step the whimpers and groans got louder and shaking more violent.

Last time Percival had seen someone like this was Merlin after the Lamia incident. Suddenly, He did know what to do, the same thing Gwen had done years ago. As he continued to walk, he began humming that tune that Merlin always used. By the time he got to Gwen's room, Branwen had switched from whimpers and shaking to slightly trembling sobs.

Not knowing what had set the child off, Percival laid her in the bed she had used the night before. He then settled himself in the chair nearby and waited for the queen to relieve him. When she arrived, he filled her in on Audrey and the nightmare. After discussing what had happened, Percival went to check in on Gwaine, Merlin, and Arthur and was to get Gaius to check on the child.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

After everyone had left, Arthur began questioning Gwaine. Variations of questions like "What the HELL happened to Merlin?", "Why in seven kingdoms did you go after Morgana?", "Does Merlin know Branwen is here?", and "Shouldn't you be resting, Gwaine?" were the majority of those he asked before he settled on how to phrase his last one. "How long have you known about Merlin's abilities and his daughter?"

Gwaine had not managed to answer any of the earlier questions before that one hit him. "He told me about her just before we headed off to Camlann. He asked me to escort him to the Valley of the Fallen Kings so he could look for her. Though, in hindsight, I don't think that was the real reason for him to go there. As for his 'Abilities' as you put it, I have suspected him of it since the Fisher King quest, but I didn't know for sure until Bran told me just before you woke up and bellowed."

By the time Gwaine finished his mini-rant, he was exhausted and completely winded.

Arthur looked at him worriedly. "How are you by the way? You look like you are about to collapse. What exactly did Morgana do to you?"

Gwaine had only ever heard Arthur this concerned when talked of Merlin or Gwen. Knowing he needed to lighten the mood of the room, he decided to joke with the king to let him know that he would be fine. "Awe, Princess! If only there was someone else here to hear you sounding so caring, well someone besides Gaius. But I will be fine with some rest. Morgana didn't know that I had two raven haired angels looking out for me."

With that Gwaine shifted his eyes to the prone form of his sleeping friend. "Merlin used his limited remaining magic and strength to save my life. In doing so, he left his own body weak and unable to fight his own issues. Bran told me that he had been injured and shoddy with helping magic, so the spells hit him hard. By the looks of him, he hasn't eaten since he left Camelot several days ago. And knowing him, he probably hasn't slept either. And yes, I probably should be resting, but I needed to see that I hadn't failed you…"

Arthur had been through a dozen emotions by this point, but now he settled on concern. "What could you possibly have done to fail me? Why would you say that?"

Gwaine refused to look Arthur in the face. "She used that snake on me… I almost told her things, anything, just to make it go away… Elyan was right, that is the worst feeling in the world. And like poor Elyan, I wanted to make sure that I really hadn't said anything important to her… I couldn't live with myself if I had…"

Arthur's face softened. "Gwaine look at me."

Slowly Gwaine lifted his head. He was so tired that just raising his head was a chore. As his eyes met the king's face, he was greeted with a slight smile. "You sounded like Merlin for a second there, but that aside. Even if you had told her something, it would not have been your fault. So, don't blame yourself for something you didn't do. That's Merlin's job."

Nodding tiredly, Gwaine slumped in his chair and started sliding out of it as he lost consciousness.

"Gaius!" Arthur whispered loudly to get the physician's attention.

Looking up from the text he had been pouring over, Gaius caught the king's gesture towards the slipping form of the knight.

Gaius managed to get Gwaine settled back in the chair before he went out into the hallway to see if he could find someone to help him move the knight back to the bed. a few minutes later, he returned with a set of guards to find all three of his patients asleep. Smiling fondly, Gaius instructed the men to turn the bed 180 degrees before he had them lay the usually boisterous knight on his stomach, facing the king and servant.

After this was done, Gaius thanked the guards and sent them on their way. After checking to make sure that all three were resting comfortably, Gaius settled back down on the bench to continue his search through the tome before him. But soon he too was fast asleep.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Percival had knocked, but no one answered. Frowning, he pushed the door to the physician's chamber open. As his eyes scanned the room, that frown morphed into a slight smile. All the occupants of the room were fast asleep.

Gwaine was snoring softly, causing his hair that fallen in front of his face to flutter with every exhale. Merlin look like a ill, but innocent child laying on his bed. Arthur looked and sounded like a sleeping puppy, squirming slightly and whining in his sleep. And then there was Gaius. His head was resting on his arms and he had a contented smile on his face.

At the sight of these men sleeping, Percival felt terrible for what he was going to have to do next. Walking quietly across the chamber, the large knight approached the old man. When placing a hand on the physician's shoulder did not wake him, the knight tried calling the man's name softly. When that barely triggered a response, Percival decided that the man needed his sleep, so the knight decided it was up to him to keep an eye on the injured trio.

After a hour, Arthur stopped squirming, as he apparently found a comfortable position if the smile on his face was anything to go by, and was now snoring. Gwaine's snoring had gained quite a bit of volume, nearly shaking the room as it joined Gaius's deep rumble and Arthur's gargling noise. Merlin had somehow managed to turn over onto his uninjured side and draped his bandaged arm across head, as if to block out the snores of the others.

Finally, Percival couldn't take the noise any longer, so again attempted to wake Gaius. This time the hand on the shoulder was more than enough to rouse his. Percival could barely contain a grin as Gaius lifted his head and one of the pieces of parchment from the table stuck to the man's cheek.

Upon noticing how long he had slept, the old man quickly checked on the sleeping men. At the sight on Merlin with his ear covered, Gaius shifted the other two so that their snores were greatly decreased in volume. After this was done, Gaius finally turned to the knight who has awaken him.

"Was there something you need, young man? I can tell by the relief on your face that you have been listening to that din for quite some time. And thank you for keeping an eye on them while I was resting. Heaven knows that was the best rest I have had in years…"

See that the old physician was rambling, Percival cut in. "Gwen wanted to know if you could check on Branwen later. After eating she fell asleep on the way back to the royal chambers and had a nasty nightmare. Gwen says that there are marks all over the girls back, but she didn't give me any details. Also, you are likely going to get a visit from Audrey down in the kitchens."

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "I will check on the child as soon as I pack my satchel if you will keep an eye on these three while I am gone. And why on earth would the head cook come to my chambers? She hasn't injured anyone has she, or herself? She has never come up here before."

Percival gave an amused huff. "Merlin is very good at keeping secrets. She is his aunt-in-law. She is the sister of the woman who raised Branwen. She also knows about Merlin and Branwen's magic."

It hadn't even dawned on Percival to break the fact that he knew about the magic before telling the old man that the queen of the kitchens had known for probably years. But as Gaius started leaning on the table for support, Percival noticed the panicked look in the physician's widened eye. Percival silently berated himself as he helped Gaius to the bench and gave him a glass of water. Percival had no idea why people who were in shock were always given water, but that is what he had always observe. So, he gave the shaking man the cup only half filled, so he wouldn't spill it, and sat down on the edge of the king's cot waiting for the physician to collect himself.

Despite his shaking Gaius gulped down all of the water in the cup in one swallow, before going off on the knight. "Percival! I am old enough to be your grandfather! And you seem to think it a good Idea to tell me that not only you know one of the best kept secrets in Camelot, but that is not that well-kept as the Head Cook of the royal kitchen not only knows of my ward's powers but that she also knows about the child's and is related to the two!"

All of this was said in a pinched, but loud whisper and at the end of that rant, Gaius turned refilled the cup with water and gulped it down too. Turning back to the large knight, Gaius told him what to do if any of the three woke while he was gone, and warned him to not mention the girl in front of Merlin. With that the old man grabbed the satchel and storm out of the room, leaving a mildly stunned Percival to care for his friends.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gaius was muttering to himself as he walked towards the royal chambers. Those who passed by him heard the old men mumbling about "keeping secrets", "tactless knights", "Bloody head cook", "nightmares", "Trouble attractors" and "must run in the family". So, by the time he knocked on Gwen's door he had worked off most of his annoyance with his quiet venting.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Not long after Gaius left, both Arthur and Gwaine woke within minutes of each other. Gwaine was glad that someone had thought to shift him and the bed so he could see the room. From his vantage point Gwaine watched Percival bathe Merlin's neck and head with a wet cloth. He also got to watch as Arthur woke and attempted to turn over to go back to sleep, but pulled on his stitches instead.

Upon seeing that the two of them were awake, Percival told them what Gaius had said about talking about 'her' in front of Merlin, even if he was asleep, before handing them the potions that Gaius had set out for the two of them. Both hesitantly took the vials and quickly downing them. If there was one thing that had never changed, it was that Gaius's remedies were vile tasting.

After watching Gwaine and Arthur throwing looks at each other for a quarter of an hour, Percival decided to clear the air. "I saw 'her' user magic to save you Gwaine and I know about Merlin here too. So you two can talk out loud and stop trying to talk with your eyes."

Gwaine started laughing. "Perc, mate. I think that is most words either of us have ever heard come from your mouth at one time! Look! You left Princess here speechless!"

Now it was Percival's turn to laugh. Arthur's mouth was hanging open and his eyes seemed to have glazed over as this mind tried to process what had just happened. Suddenly, the king's eyes snapped to those of the large knight.

"What do you think would happen if I made magic legal in Camelot and made Merlin Court Sorcerer or Warlock, whatever he is? How would the people react?"

Both knight's stared at their king with blank eye. It was as if their eyes had been disconnected from their minds. In fact for a moment, Arthur wasn't even sure that they were breathing. After what seemed like hours, Gwaine spoke.

"They would be wary at first, but after a few years they would accept it. Those with magic would likely be insanely happy for a few days before thinking that it may be an elaborate trap. As for Merlin in court, well that would be fun to watch."

Percival seemed to have used up his word quota for the day, as he just nodded in agreement to Gwaine's statement.

Arthur giving his own slight nod, continued. "It is settled then. As soon as Gaius lets me out of bed I will repeal the laws against magic. If Merlin is willing, he will be named Court Sorcerer and First Advisor to the King."

It was a good thing he decided this so quickly, because not but a few minutes later, those potions kicked in and knocked both injured men out cold. This gave Percival time to think about what Arthur had said. Lost in thought, Percival again started cooling Merlin down with a cool cloth.


	12. Chapter 12

As Gaius examined a sleeping Branwen, he thought about all those who now knew of Merlin's powers. Hunith had known from day one, as Merlin was born with his eyes glowing gold. Merlin's wife must have known, but Gaius wasn't sure. Then there was William, but he died protecting his brother-in-law and best friend. Lancelot found out and was a great help to Merlin, he too died for Merlin. There had been that Druid girl, but she was killed by Arthur. Alator swore allegiance to Merlin as Emrys. The Druids knew. Mordred knew, but he is dead now. There had been numerous evil doers who had found out, but Merlin had ended them. Gwen guessed it after Camlann. Gwaine and Percival know thanks to Branwen. Audrey has known for gods' know how long. Merlin told Arthur. Geoffrey has his suspicions, and they stemmed back to when Lancelot first came to Camelot. All in all, Leon was the only person of interest who didn't know about Merlin, surprisingly enough. Well, there was Morgana, but there was no avoiding that.

At this point, Gaius began checking Branwen's back. If he had not been in his physician mindset at that moment he would have cried.

The poor thing had been flogged several times if the age of the scars were accurate. Some of the wounds were still scabbed over, while others slowly wept clear puss and small amounts of blood.

"What is it with this family and their ability to find danger everywhere…" Gaius mumbled as he began coating the wounds and scars with a green paste that would cause the scars to fade easier and the wounds to keep from scarring.

Putting away the paste, Gaius thought about Merlin's scars. If Leon was shocked by the number of scars he had seen on Merlin, how would he had reacted to the number there would have been without that paste. That mark on his shoulder was what had prompted Gaius to find a balm that eased the healing of scars. If he had found it sooner, that mark would be gone.

Sighing, Gaius gathered his supplies and joined Gwen in the main chamber.

"She is better off that one would imagine for having been beat like that so recently. Hopefully the balm will erase most if not all of the scarring on her back. She will have nightmare often if she is anything like her father. These sleeping drafts should help, but what she needs is loving people around her. I know you and Percival have been working on that, so thank you."

Gwen's worry lightened at this news. "How is Merlin? Has he improved at all since I left? What of Arthur?"

Gaius gave her a small smile. "Merlin is sleeping peacefully, as is Arthur and Gwaine. Percival is watching them while I am away."

Gwen nodded her understanding. "Will they be alright? Will they fully heal?"

Gaius shook his head. "Only time will answer that, my lady."

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Three days later, Gwaine could stand up by himself, but he couldn't walk without help. Arthur could walk around, but stairs pulled his stitches too much for him to get to his chamber by himself. Merlin was still sleeping, thanks to Gaius's drafts.

Gaius had had enough. Tomorrow, he was going to rouse Merlin and he wanted the royals and the knights out from underfoot, so he got Percival to carry Arthur up and down the stairs needed to get to the royal chambers. This would effectively keep the king out of Gaius's chambers for at least a week. Also, Gwaine was moved to his own chamber, where a number of maids had volunteered to help him. This allowed Gaius to focus on Merlin and Branwen.

Merlin's injuries were not as simple as Leon had thought. Those three 'cracked' ribs were actually broken, making that four altogether. The bruised ribs were actually cracked. Gaius knew that Leon had used his limited knowledge when checking Merlin over, but how he had not known the difference between broken, cracked, and bruised ribs was worrisome.

On top of that Merlin's left foot had been crushed. There were many bones broken, including two of the toes. The skin on both his left leg and arm had been ripped by stones, leaving deep bruises under the raw skin. Add to that the concussion as well as physical and magical exhaustion, it was a wonder that Merlin was doing as well as he was. Though Gaius had his suspicions that Branwen had something to do with that.

The child refused to leave her father after waking that first afternoon. She was plagued with nightmare, but being near Merlin had help tremendously. But unlike the king and Gwaine, Branwen was at least helpful with her comments and had general knowledge about healing. Though she was still healing, she constantly gave her father her reserve energy and then take a nap. Those constant boost were more helpful than any potion that Gaius could ever give, so he allowed her with a rule about how much she could give.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

The pain was what woke him. He could feel his heart beat in his skull. His entire left side felt like it was on fire. But pain was nothing new to Merlin, so he slowly opened his eyes. Everything was blurry, but it cleared up after a great deal of blinking. The first thing he was was his beautiful daughter asleep to the right of him. Seeing that she was safe, Merlin lost his hold on the waking world.

Then next time, Gaius was there. After drinking some broth and a few of the old man's remedies, Merlin returned to the land of unconsciousness. But not before Gaius told him that Arthur and Gwaine were going to be fine and that Branwen was safe and sound sleeping in Merlin's room.

Each time Merlin woke up he stayed awake longer, but no longer than an hour for the first week and a half. After that he managed to stay awake long enough to explain to Gaius what had happened after they had split up and for Gaius to tell him how Branwen had been found. As Merlin's eyes began to drupe, Gaius knew the story of what had happened to the child would have to wait.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gwaine, despite earlier declarations that such a thing was impossible, was sick and tired of serving girls. For the past ten days he had been waited on hand and foot by maids from all over the castle. At first it had been beyond fun, but now that he could walk without help, he wanted to do things himself. Those women, instead of allowing him to get back to his usual life, began hiding his weapons and clothing so that only they could help him.

It was at this point that he turned to Audrey for help. She was the one of the few people in Camelot who could control any servant with a few words. Why she was willing to take pity on him, he had no clue.

By the end of day ten Gwaine was once again able to find his possessions and move about freely. Well, freely was a bit of a stretch. Gwaine still tired easily as his body was still recovering, but that didn't stop him. Gwaine decided to visit his injured friends and since Arthur's room was the closest, he was visited first.

Gwaine didn't even bother to knock before he entered the room. The knight knew what the king was doing, because he asked Gwen as he passed her in the corridor, and just waltzed right in. Arthur was sitting behind his desk going over paperwork that had piled up due to the battle with Morgana and his near death experience. Gwen had mentioned that the king was in foul mood, so Gwaine was going to play this in a very Merlin like manner.

Noting the mess in the room, Gwaine knew exactly what Merlin would say, so he said it.

"What happened?!" Gwaine bellowed, imitating Merlin's voice.

A grin appeared on the knight's face as Arthur knocked half of the papers on his desk as he tried to jump to his feet. But that grin quickly faded when Arthur bent double holding his side.

Rushing to the king's side, Gwaine called out "Oy! You alright, princess?"

Arthur turned his head to glare at the knight.

"No. I think I pulled my stitches again." He said as he pulled his arm from his side. It was covered with blood.

Cursing under his breath, Gwaine ran to the door and ordered the two guards stationed there to get the king to Gaius immediately.

On the way the physician's chamber Arthur lost consciousness.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

When Gwaine and the guards bearing Arthur barged into the room, Gaius was glad he had decided to dose Merlin with a sleeping draft. One look at the king and Merlin would have used what little energy he had to heal the wound and probably harm or even kill himself in the process.

"What happened?" Gaius asked as he motioned for the men to settle the blonde on the nearby cot.

"I went to visit him. The room was a mess, so I mimicked Merlin and Arthur jumped up, pulling his stitches. He was bleeding pretty bad, so we brought him here as quick as we could. He passed out as we were crossing the courtyard." Gwaine said between gasps for breath.

"Gwaine, sit down before you pass out too. You should still be resting, not racing across the citadel." Gaius barked as he quickly restitched the wound.

When Gwaine didn't reply, Gaius glanced back at him. The knight was hunched over, with his hands on his knees attempting to get his breathing under control.

Gaius ordered one of the guards to inform the queen while the other one helped Gwaine to the old man's bed. Gwaine was barely on the bed before, he too, was unconscious.

Shaking his head, Gaius couldn't help but see how the recent event were virtually identical to those of nearly two weeks ago.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Merlin was the first of the three to wake up. Since he and his bed had yet to be moved back to his room, he was easily able to see his three best friends asleep in the room with him. Gwaine was the first person he saw. The knight was sleeping soundly, though his breathing sounded a little harsh, on Gaius's bed. Turning his head he saw Arthur and Gwen wrapped in each other's arm, asleep on one of the patient cots.

Looking down at the sleeping form beside him, Merlin smiled. His daughter was wedged in the bed beside him. Even though she is ten years old she had her thumb in her mouth. Or, it was previously in her mouth, as it was now hanging on the corner of her lips.

A slight noise across the room drew Merlin's attention. It was Gaius entering the room from the outside world. The look of happiness on Gaius's face to see this ward awake warmed the warlock's heart.

Gaius silently ambled over to the chair beside Merlin's bed where he sat down. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Though I still feel like I did after I was poisoned by Nimueh." the young man replied, stifling a yawn. "Why are Arthur, Gwen, and Gwaine here?"

Gaius sighed. "Gwaine startled Arthur, who then moved too fast and pulled his stitches. Gwaine, who is still weak from the Nathair venom, wore himself out rushing with the guard bringing Arthur to me. And Gwen came to make sure they were both alright."

"Keep it down… 'M trying t' sleep…" quietly came from a half asleep Gwaine.

"Only if you tell me what you did that startled Arthur." Merlin replied tiredly, but very cheekily.

With a soft snort, Gwaine replied. "Tried t' sound like Merlin 'nd asked wha' 'appened. He knocked an 'ole pile o' papers down 'en he jumped up… Was funny 'til I saw he was 'urt… 'Nt mean to… Shhh now."

With that said, Gwaine fell back to sleep, and Merlin joined him in land of dreams only moments later.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Hours later, when the three of them woke up next, they were alone in the room and the sun was setting. Merlin had been the first one to wake up and he had only had enough time to prop himself up a little before the other two began to stir. This was the first time Gwaine and Arthur had seen Merlin awake since their return to Camelot. Both men opened their eyes to get their bearings before seeing Merlin and shouting in unison, "You're awake!"

Merlin couldn't help but grin when both men grabbed their heads and groaned at the sound of their combined voices.

"This is better that when you both have hangovers!" Merlin claimed loudly enough to get the men to wince.

"You're no better after a night in the tavern Merlin." Arthur griped.

"I will have you know that I have never been drunk in my life and Gaius really needed to find a new excuse for where I was." replied feigning a pout.

"Princess, if you thought Merlin here was in the tavern, why didn't you ask me if he was with me? The only times I have seen him there is when he is with you or he is there to get me back to my room." piped in a highly amused Gwaine.

Arthur's forehead scrunched in concentration or confusion, well maybe both. "So, all those times Gaius told me you were out drinking you were dealing with something magical?"

Merlin's eyes widened and jerked to Gwaine as he began to panic. The warlock's body was still weak so the panic manifested itself as hyperventilating.

"Whoa mate! It's alright! Branwen told me about magic you both have…" Gwaine stopped talking as Merlin passed out.

"Damn it! Gwaine! I can hardly move. Go get Gaius, Gwen, or even Branwen! I'll keep an eye on him until they arrive. And don't hurt yourself again. If you see a guard, send the message with them and then slowly make your way back here. Now go!"

Once Gwaine was out of the room, Arthur began to curse himself for not being more careful with his words and he eased his healing body to its feet and limped quickly to his friend's side.

Merlin's pulse was light and quick, just like his breathing. Arthur maneuvered himself as fast as he could behind Merlin and pressed the panicked man to his chest while taking deep, calculated breaths, hoping Merlin would unconsciously match it.

Soon Merlin's breathing was deeper and less rapid, but it was still much faster than it should be. Thinking back to those times when he had been sick and Merlin had hummed that stupid tune that always soothed him, Arthur decided to return the favor.

Having heard the melody nearly every day for the past ten years, Arthur knew it by heart. The effect was immediate. Merlin relaxed, his heart and breaths slowed to their regular pace, and he nuzzled up against Arthur.

The nuzzling stopped Arthur dead. Merlin began to stiffen as he mumbled, "Please Bridget, don't stop."

Tears ran down Arthur's face as he began humming once again, while slowly rocking his friend back and forth. Merlin needed to feel safe, and if thinking he was in the arms of his wife who had died ten years prior, Arthur wasn't going to ruin it. Not even if he had had the heart to do so.


	13. Chapter 13

Arthur had seen Merlin when he was sick and injured before, but never had he seen his friend as vulnerable as he had been for those few moments. He had continued to hum and rock the warlock even after he was sure the man was asleep for fear of waking him. He only stopped when Gaius, Gwen, and Gwaine busted into the room.

Raising his eyes to meet his wife's, Arthur said, "I know where that mindless tune came from." Arthur lowered his eyes back to the form in his arms. "I used it to calm him down, but when I stopped he called me 'Bridget' and asked me not to stop."

"Even after she has been gone for ten years, he still holds her in his heart and mind. I wouldn't be surprised if he holds everyone he knew who did in his heart as that is the kind of man he is. I am just surprised he never broke under the burden he bears." Gwen's voice was soft and filled with love for the man she often thought of as her younger brother.

"Does anyone here know what Merlin's Bridget looked like?" Gwaine questioned from near the door. In reply, the knight received two stern glairs.

"No, but Audrey from the Kitchens would know." Gaius stated.

"Why on earth would the Terror of the Servants know what Merlin's wife looked like when she was already dead when Merlin came to Camelot?" Gwen asked.

"Because, milady, she was Bridget's aunt." This simple statement rocked the world as the three young people knew it.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Merlin woke up to a voice singing a song that only members of his extended family knew. Since it was definitely not Branwen's voice, there was only one other person it could be.

"The fourth verse is my favorite." He said quietly, causing the voice to go silent.

Suddenly the voice was back. "Merlin MacHunith! Don't ever worry me like that again! Lucky for you that the queen made me leave my ladle in the kitchen, otherwise you would be getting it right across your shoulder!"

He felt his hair being brushed off his face. "I have already lost most of my family, not make me lose you too. By the way, what is this I hear about you being covered in scars? I tried asking Gaius and Percival, but those two camped their mouths shut quicker than you can trip."

They both chuckled at that. "Audrey, you have heard the tales of Emrys since you were a little girl, right?"

"Of course. You can't live beside a druid camp half your life and not hear those stories why do you… No! You're… But that means… That witch… Sigan… The dragon… Boy! Do you tell me anything important?! You have been saving this city since you got here, have been injured more time than I know, and you have become the king's friend, but you couldn't bring yourself to tell me when you are injured? I love you as I would my own child, but you don't trust me? Have you even told Hunith?" Audrey's voice had started soft, spiked to a bellow, and then quieted to a whisper.

"No! She would do exactly what you are doing. Worrying about something you can't change. I can't stand see the both of you worry…" Merlin ended his piece with a sigh.

"Gwaine knows about me and Branwen's magic…" Merlin refused to face the woman.

Audrey giggled, making Merlin's head turn swiftly towards her. "You silly goose! Leon is the only one who doesn't know. Gwen wasn't told, but she has figured it out. They have accepted the both of you for what you are and still care for you deeply. You scared those two terribly yesterday. The king cried."

"Did you know he told me that no man is worth my tears? That was just after my father died. I watched him cry for his father, and now for me… I guess only royals are above that rule." Merlin responded sadly.

"Don't think like that. He didn't know Balinor was your father. And unless you told him, he still doesn't. You have a big heart which is why you cry. If you had told me about the girl you hid under the castle earlier, I would have helped you. I know she might have hurt me against her will, but at least the two of you wouldn't have been so alone. And you, Merlin, are still not alone. You have me, Branwen, the druids, the knights, half of the serving staff, and the king and queen. I have known rulers who had less support. You are so blessed, but those blessings are hidden behind duties and banter."

Noting her nephew-in-laws tired face she wound to a close. "Believe me when I say, you have more love around you than you could ever to understand. Now eat this stew and go back to sleep."

The stew was very close to being a very thick soup, but it was warm and delicious. He managed to eat a bowl and a half before dozing off.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Leon was thoroughly confused. Yes Merlin had been injured, but why had he slept for nearly three weeks, only waking long enough to eat? Was there something he was missing? How did Merlin of all people have a daughter that old? How old is the girl? How old is Merlin? Who was the mother and where is she? Had anyone else known? What other secrets did that dark haired man have? Would Merlin ever explain where all of those scars had come from? What had Merlin done to Gwaine, who Gaius had said would likely not survive and was now running around the castle? What was the cook doing watching over the sleeping servant? And lastly, why had it taken this long to get a turn at watching over Merlin?

Gaius said it would be a few weeks before Merlin would even be able to stand on his own. As of right now, those who had been with Merlin over the past week told him, Merlin could not even sit up by himself.

Leon wondered how someone could have been injured enough for all of this to be reality, but still have managed to get Arthur from Camlann to Camelot. He had always had the greatest of respect for Merlin, but this placed it in a whole new level. The servant was a knight in everything but name.

'Despite Arthur's comments about how useless Merlin was with a weapon, I have seen Merlin fight better than Elyan at his best. With a little training, but not the kind Arthur gives the poor fellow, Merlin would be a great knight. If only Arthur could see that. Besides the sword, Merlin has deadly aim with a crossbow and short bow, can hold his own in a mace fight, and is great with a knife. Add in Merlin's knowledge of the body from his studies with Gaius, Merlin knows how to take a man down without killing him.' Leon thought to himself.

Lost in those thoughts, Leon did not notice that Merlin was awake. Merlin saw how deep in thought the knight was, so he decided attempt to reach the cup of water on the table by the bed. It was just a tiny bit too far for the man's injured ribs.

At Merlin's loud hiss of pain, Leon nearly fell out of his chair. Turning, the knight saw Merlin biting his lip as he cradled his injured side. Noting the water cup and the cracking of the man's lips, Leon understood what happened.

"You shouldn't be moving. Here is the water, Merlin. You could have just asked." Leon said with as little concern as he could manage while placing the cup against Merlin's lips.

After downing half of the water, Merlin replied, "You were thinking and it didn't look very far…"

"How on earth did you manage to help Arthur when you yourself were injured nearly as bad? Also, I have seen the scars. Care to explain where they came from?" Leon kept his voice neutral.

"Adrenaline and stubbornness. If I hadn't been so worried about Arthur and refused to sleep we both would have died out there. If I had so much as nodded off, we would never have made it back." Merlin replied before downing the remaining water in the cup.

"You didn't sleep for those three days?" the shock was evident.

"Four" was Merlin's reply

See that only confused Leon more, Merlin clarified. "I rode all night to get to Camlann and I had been awake the entire day before. Then add the three days it took for us to get back home, that is four days. But with my head injury it wouldn't have been a good idea to sleep those first two nights anyway."

"So, you were injured and sleep deprived?" Leon pressed.

"Umm… I also didn't eat?" Merlin replied sheepishly.

"Did you at least drink?" Asked in concealed horror.

"Of course!" Merlin replied mockingly. "I may be an idiot, but I have lived with Gaius long enough to know how important it is to drink water when injured. Taking sips of water was what kept me awake for those last few hours. You know how when you are running or training and you get really tired and then suddenly you find some more energy?"

When Leon nodded Merlin continued. "Well, that happened to me several times before we got to the main gate. I know I should have taken better care of myself, but I didn't. None of us can go back and change it. I need to learn from it and do better next time."

"You avoided my question about your scars. In fact, you do that a lot." Leon stated while pinning Merlin with a glare.

"Ah, you caught that did you? You and Percival are the only two who have ever noticed that. I am not that great of a liar, but I am very good at avoidance. When I really don't want to talk about something, I send the conversation in a new direction." Merlin explained.

"Nice try Merlin, but I saw most of your scars after you collapsed." At this, Merlin sighed.

"Right shoulder on my back. Arthur managed to hit me with a mace the second time I met him." Leon nodded his understanding. Gaius had already told that story.

"Left collarbone." Merlin continued. "Bandit hit me with a mace, Arthur got me out of there, but we got separated by a rockslide. Those bandits were working for Morgana. She healed most of it, but she did it in such a way that it would always be painful. After that she placed a magical monster's head in the back of my neck. The beast was called a Famorra, it made me try to Arthur several times before Gaius found out how to suppress it. I found Morgana's hut and burned the creature. When I got back, Gaius cut the head out, leaving a scars there. I don't remember anything that happened while that monster was using my body…"

"Gods! I gave you a crossbow! I asked you what you needed it for and you said it was to kill Arthur. I thought you were joking!" Both men paled at this revelation.

"I tried to kill him with a crossbow?! They told me about the acid in the bath water and the sword, but a crossbow! What if I had succeeded?!" Merlin was nearly hyperventilating again.

"Merlin!" Leon called as he grabbed the thinner man's shoulders. "You didn't hurt him. And if you had, it wouldn't have been your fault. Now calm down! Slow, deep breaths. That's better."

Finally noticing that the overall lack of light in the room, Merlin asked, "What time is it?"

Glancing at the window, Leon replied, "An hour or so before dawn. I talked Gaius into sleeping in the room down the hall. He has slept poorly since Camlann, so Guinevere slipped him a sleeping draft while I had sure the bed in the room was extra comfortable. He should sleep til midday."

Merlin's eyebrows scrunched. "What about his morning rounds?"

"What morning rounds?" Leon was confused.

"Just after dawn, Gaius gives those in the lower town their medications and checks on the young mothers and widows. He has been doing it for longer than I have been in Camelot. When he is unable to do it, I usually go." Merlin explained.

"We didn't know. Do you know who gets what? Gaius did set out a number of vials before retiring." Leon looked ashamed.

"I made Gaius make a list years ago. It should be next to the potions. As for the widows, there will be a lot more after that battle. Gwen should know them all and I can make a list of the mothers if you like. Also, don't feel bad for helping Gaius get some sleep. He really does need it. If I wasn't Arthur's manservant, I would have been named Apprentice Physician years ago." Merlin replied wistfully.

"Is that what you want? With some training you would make a formidable knight." Leon noted.

Merlin huffed in amusement. "Lancelot ones called me the 'warrior physician' after a skirmish with some bandits… I hate killing, but if I trained hard enough I wouldn't have to."

Merlin's face then went deadly serious. "But Gaius needs someone to take over for him. He is 75 years old. And he is my mother's oldest brother, I need to be the one who helps him."

"Wait. Gaius is your uncle?" Leon questioned.

Merlin's eyes went wide. "Please don't tell anyone! If people knew… Lets just say he would become a target for some people I put in their place. He has enough to worry about without add that too."

"I won't tell, I promise." Leon vowed.

"Thank 'ou…" Merlin slurred as he started to fall asleep.

"You are more than welcome, my friend" Leon replied as he pulled the cover back over the sleeping man.


	14. Chapter 14

The next morning, Merlin managed to sit up by himself and write the list of young mother for Leon. He ate breakfast with his daughter and managed to stay awake long enough to keep her from lending him her strength, but he was soon fast asleep.

He woke again around noon to see Gaius spreading salve over Arthur's mostly healed wound. "Sire, the wound is healing nicely, but if you continue to push yourself so, you may do yourself harm."

Merlin stifled a laugh. "Gaius, he doesn't even listen to Gwen, and she is much scarier than you."

"Merlin!" Both men called out in unison as they both tried to rush to his side.

"Leon said you woke up twice this morning. I doubted you would wake again before diner." Gaius stated as he sat in one of the chairs by Merlin's bed.

"Since when do I do things the way people expect? By the way, why have you let Branwen give me her energy? I have always told her not to do that. She could easily give too much and hurt herself." Merlin said glaring at his mentor.

"Your one to talk Merlin. You almost killed yourself helping me and Gwaine. You never know when to stop." Arthur pointed out as he gently lowered himself into the other bedside chair.

"Which is why I don't want her to do it. She is only 10, she should not have to decide whether her father needs her strength that day or not." Merlin replied hotly.

"She started without my knowledge and there was nothing I could do to stop her. She inherited your stubbornness." Gaius countered.

Arthur interrupted with a grin. "Is that what she was pouting about this morning? She came back to my chambers to stay with Guinevere mumbling about how her 'Taddy' won't let her help him. She looked like you do after I order you to do something."

The glairs the king received from both men was downright intimidating.

"Well," the king continued, "She is very much her father's daughter. She has managed to become friends with most of the knight, the majority of the staff, as well as a few of the lords. She has been going with Guinevere to council meeting and has put a few of them in their place from what I hear. She is also one of the reasons I am lifting the ban on magic."

"You Idiot! If you do that Morgana will show up and raise the city and there is no one able to fight her right now!" Merlin bellowed.

"I haven't done it yet! I was going to speak to you about it first, but you started yelling, so…" The king replied, a little shocked at how open Merlin was about this now.

Merlin took a deep breath, wincing slightly. "I am just worried. It has been nearly a month since Camlann. She will be making an appearance soon and I am no condition to fight her again. She knows what I am now, Mordred saw to that. If news gets to her about me being injured, she will make a move. If she finds out about Branwen…" Merlin shivered at the mere thought.

Merlin continued after a moment. "Camelot is my home, and all of you are my family. I have lost enough people already, I couldn't bear to see any of you hurt… My mother has already found a place to hide if the need arises, but we cannot hide all of Camelot."

A thought came to Arthur. "Will the druids help?"

Both Gaius and Merlin raised their eyebrows questioningly.

"Will they come to our aid if Morgana attacks or help you heal?" the king clarified.

"The druids would help me and any wounded, but they will not fight her. The Catha on the other hand, they might be willing to help after what Morgana did." Answered Merlin.

"What exactly did Morgana do that would make the magical, warrior priests join Camelot's forces?" Arthur asked, slightly apprehensive to know yet another vile thing his sister had done.

"She tortured and murdered one of their leaders, killed a powerful follower, and shot me with a cross bolt." Merlin replied without thinking of the implications.

"YOU WERE SHOT BY A CROSSBOLT?!" Arthur Bellowed.

"Sire, calm down. It was the day after that picnic you and Gwen took not too long after the cleansing Morgana's dark magic from Gwen's mind." Gaius said trying to keep the two men from harming themselves.

"You told me it was a relapse from his fall! Why did you lie to me?" Arthur was hurt by Gaius's dishonesty.

"Sire, what was I to tell you? Merlin ran off with a powerful magic user and was shot, then mostly healed by an old dragon? Even the fall was an excuse for Merlin's condition at the time." Gaius huffed.

"Gaius! You promised!" Merlin cried when he saw the sudden understanding in the king's eyes.

Arthur grinned. "You made a very interesting old woman, Merlin. A bit testy too."

"That was hardly my fault. You had completely forgotten about me. Mordred was the one who pointed out that I was missing in the first place!" Merlin retorted.

"So, if it wasn't the fall that made you sleep like the dead, what was it?" Arthur pressed.

"Well, the fall didn't help matters. But the real issue was that I used three very powerful spells, each were very draining on their own, as well as not sleeping the entire way to the cauldron. Mordred was shocked that I to hold all three spells in place at the same time." Merlin responded in a melancholy tone.

"Three? Why on earth did it take you three spells to do what you did?" Arthur asked arrogantly.

"I didn't, you prat. I had the spell to make me old, the one to make me a woman, and the spell to summon the White Goddess. You always thought I was drunk when you saw me after the Dragoon spell because of how tired it made me. Imagine that three times with only a few hours' sleep in several days and having a concussion and injured ribs. So yes, I was tired. I could easily have pushed myself too far and died. But I didn't, so let's move on. When is Gwen due? Branwen is all excited about the pregnancy." Merlin said excitedly.

"Guinevere is Pregnant?!" Arthur gasped turning to Gaius for confirmation.

"This the first I have heard about it, Sire." Gaius replied.

"Oh good grief! Gwen was cursed with magic to be barren by Morgana, or maybe Morgause. When she was healed in the cauldron, the curse was lifted. She got pregnant after that. Branwen can feel more than one life force coming from Gwen, and my daughter has never been wrong about such things as of yet." Merlin said with pride.

"So, Guinevere may not know she is with child, Sire. And Merlin, stop changing the subject." Gaius added.

Merlin sighed resignedly while Arthur looked even more confused.

"Is that why I have rarely known something was wrong with you? You side stepped the topic and posed a new one? That sounds like a fighting strategy." Arthur questioningly states.

"It is a fighting strategy. It was the way I stayed alive while your father was in power. After that it was so well ingrained that I continued to use it. If you had known about the things that have happened to me, you would have had question that I could not answer without revealing what I am. So yes, I am a master at conversation manipulation." With that said, Merlin sank into the pillows behind him. He felt completely drained.

Both men could see just how tired Merlin was, but they couldn't let him sleep just yet. Gaius handed Merlin some of Audrey's vegetable stew while Arthur questioned him about where to find the druids.

Right after Merlin fell asleep Gaius rushed off to send word to the druids and Arthur went to see him wife, not even thinking about getting someone to stay with unconscious warlock.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Morgana had been pleasantly shocked to find that her intel was correct. Merlin really was weak and bedridden. Now, she was also overjoyed to find said warlock asleep and alone in Gaius's chambers. This was odd, as the last four times she had snuck into the citadel there had been at least one knight with the injured sorcerer. But not this time, much to Morgana's delight.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Branwen and Gwen had spent the past half hour watching Percival and Gwaine train. They had just seen Gaius hurry across the courtyard when the king entered the room.

"Arthur! What are you doing back already? I thought it was your turn to sit with Merlin." At the look of sheepishness the queen continued. "Tell me you at least got someone to keep an eye on him."

Arthur suddenly felt ashamed. "No. My mind was on something he told me earlier. Something you told him, young lady. How could you know about such things before she did?" At this point Arthur was swatting in front of Branwen.

"I have my ways." she stated with a mischievous smile, much like her father's. "Now let's go see Taddy!" she exclaimed before grabbing both royals' hands and pulling them out of the room.

The trio practically ran to the physician's chambers, laughing most of the way. By the time they reached the top of the stair, they were all breathless, but still grinning. Those smile disappeared when they looked into the room.

Standing over Merlin's bed was Morgana poised to drive Mordred's damaged sword into the sleeping form below her.

"Tæfle!" Branwen screamed sending Morgana flying into the stairs to the upper bookshelves. Morgana, somewhat stunned, began to rise to her feet when the young witch called out another spell, "Onslæp nu!" putting Morgana into a deep sleep.

Gwen was stunned having seen Morgana ready to kill a defenseless Merlin only to watch as the little girl that she had become so close to take down the Last High Priestess of the Triple Goddess with two short spells.

"The darkness in your heart is not your own. It was placed in you slowly over several months. You can be free of it once again, my child. Your sister used you in my name without my blessing. She used you as the vessel of the spell, just like she did before you near death at Emrys's hand. You are not the woman you think you are. Emrys is the doom of your evil, not your life. The one who has loved you despite it all will see that you are once again wholly yourself. Sleep my child, your destiny is near its completion." Branwen's eyes glowed white as she spoke with a voice of three women combined.

Branwen turned to the royals and focused her milky eyes on the king. "At the insistence of Emrys you denied me, Pendragon. He thought he would be ending the threat on your life by the Druid boy's hand, but he failed. That wound on your side will heal, but it will always slow you down, allowing you to be killed. That wound you have will come to be the instrument of your demise. As such, you will have died by the boy's hand, thus the prophecy will be fulfilled."

She then turned, and set her pearly gaze on the queen. "The witch Morgause, claiming to follow my will, cursed your womb leaving you barren. Emrys has since removed the hex though the power of my sister. You now bare the children of the Once and Future King. On the eve of their birth, I will come into this vessel and see that they are blessed by the power of the earth. They will prosper in the newly united Albion. Your line will by one with that of Magic itself. They will be great in number, ready to follow the King upon his return. Fear not, you too will rise again. Blessings be placed in your ever open heart."

Branwen, hosting the Triple Goddess herself, then turned to the still sleeping Merlin. "Oh my child. You have done your duty faithfully and at the expense of your own health and happiness. You will heal those you hold in your heart and then, your heart too will be healed. Your pain ends now. Your body and magic are now fully at your command. No spell is too powerful, no burden is too great, no task too daunting, for you are now truly the greatest and most powerful being to ever walk on earth. Wake now, my child, and be completely whole for the first time since your birth. Rise Merlin son of Balinor and Hunith, Emrys of Legend, the Last Dragonlord, Master of the Crystal Cave, Freer of the Lady of the Lake, Father of the Vessel of the Triple Goddess, the Eternal Man, King of the Druids and Catha, and the Embodiment of Magic itself. Rise!"

At these words, Merlin, shrouded in a golden light, rose from the bed and opened his brilliantly glowing eyes. He then walked until he was directly in front of his possessed daughter.

"I greet thee, Great Mother. Thank you for all the gifts you have bestowed on me and my family over the years. I only wish I had not needed to taint my own soul in the completion of the tasks you set before me. I do not feel that I am worthy of all you have given me. I am sorry." Merlin said, keeping his head bowed in reverence and shame.

A smile graced Branwen's face. "That heart, my child, is the reason I know I chose well. My misguided daughter's care is now in your hands. Follow your heart in this matter, child. I will return as promised, but I am always with you. Be at peace with yourself."

The pure light faded from Branwen's and she fell into Merlin's waiting arms. Merlin lowered himself to the ground and his aura grew in power and size, engulfing everyone in the room. After what seemed like a lifetime, the gold glow faded.

Just as light completely dissipated, Percival and Gwaine burst into the room.

Gwaine was nearly breathless, but explained himself between gasps of air. "We saw a light *gasp* shining out of here *gasp* from the city wall! *gasp* We thought there might be… IS THAT MORGANA?!"

"Yes it is. Branwen placed her under a sleeping spell." Gwen replied in a small voice as she continued to stare in amazement at the two magic users setting on the floor.

"Special girl…" Percival muttered as he moved to gather the dark witch from the mess on the steps.

"Morgana is a prisoner in her own body. As soon as I figure out how, I will free her of the enchantment Morgause placed on her. Until then, we should keep people from seeing her. They might take it upon themselves to 'eliminate her as a threat'." Merlin said, rising from the floor gracefully with his daughter held close to his chest.

"Merlin mate! You are standing by yourself!" Gwaine exclaimed.

"The Triple Goddess unlocked all of my latent power. That light you saw was my magic healing me and Branwen. We are both now scarless." Merlin replied simply.

Everyone inhaled sharply. "All of them? Won't people notice?" Percival questioned as he lowered Morgana onto Gaius's bed.

Merlin smiled. "I can make them reappear if I wish. I can even pick which ones grace my skin. Watch this."

Merlin placed Branwen gently down on his empty bed before turning back to his now regrouped pseudo-family. He closed his eyes and the mouths of those present fell open as a thick black beard began to grow on the warlock's face. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the beard retreated back into the young man's face. Merlin's smile grew as he caused his body to fill out until he was the size of Percival. He then shifted his body until he was a tall, gorgeous woman with calf length, curly red hair. He then opened his eyes to show his friends his now brown irises.

"What do you think Percival? Gwaine? Do I look like Eshia down at the Rising Sun?" Merlin said in a velvety, feminine voice.

Wide eyed, the two knights nodded vigorously.

"Merlin?" Gwen said hesitantly.

"Yes Gwen?" Merlin replied in his regular voice, while still looking like a lovely ginger haired woman.

"You… You did not even use a spell…" She stuttered out.

"Gwen. When I first met you, I had never used a spell in my life, but I had been using magic since birth." Merlin responded as his body shifted back to its usual appearance.

"So you… Oh Merlin! You have had to hide who you are for the last 25 years? No wonder you never told any of us before! Hunith said you were always a handful, now I understand what she meant." The queen rushed over to her friend and gave him a tight hug.

"I am glad you all are so accepting, but I have a question. What are we going to tell Leon?" Merlin asked with a raised eyebrow.


	15. Chapter 15

The entire room froze at that question. The group looked at each other, gaging how the others were taking the news.

"Leon needs to be told, but you suddenly being healed… That will make him wary. Can you return yourself to how you were before?" Gwen asked, still nestled in her friend's arms.

"I could, but I cannot make myself as tired and listless as I was." the warlock replied.

"You could claim the druids healed you." Percival added.

"No. I will not lie like that. He has so much respect for the druids after they saved his life all those years ago. No. I will have to tell him in a different way…" Merlin countered, releasing Gwen and sitting down next to the sleeping form of his daughter.

"Well, you had better figure out what you are going to tell Gaius when he returns, which may well be soon." Arthur stated.

"Actually, Leon will likely be with Gaius. He is trying to make it up for drugging him last night." Gwaine added.

"We cannot let Leon see Morgana. She needs to be moved." Percival added.

"Put her in my room. I have suppressed her powers, so she is no threat. No one has been going up there have they?" Merlin asked.

Everyone present shook their heads.

Merlin continued, staring sadly at the sleeping witch. "Percival, could you take her up there and lay her on the bed? I need to find a way to purge Morgause's curse from her."

"Um, Mate? There is no bed up there right now." Gwaine said hesitantly.

"Oh, right…" Merlin incanted a short spell and the spare patient cot disappeared. "There. The bed should be exactly where mine used to be."

"Why didn't you more Morgana that way? Wouldn't it be easier that way?" Arthur asked.

Merlin sent the king a flat look. "I have been moving objects since I was a babe-in-arms, but moving a person? That takes time, energy, and a lot of concentration."

The royal looked thoroughly shamed.

"If Gaius and Leon showed up right now there would be a number of questions about why everyone is here. You need to come up with a reason or get back to your duties." Gwen stated in her most regal voice.

Gwaine grinned and saluted before turning on his heel and marching out of the room in a mocking manner.

After situating Morgana in Merlin's chamber, Percival nodded his head at those in the room before he too left.

Once the door closed, Merlin placed a glamor to hide Morgana from those who didn't know she was there before he laid down beside Branwen and willed his injuries to return.

Gwen came over and covered them with the blanket. "Should I leave too?" She asked.

"No. Gaius will want to see if what Branwen had said the other day is true, and you can keep your husband company while I take a nap." Merlin replied.

"Now hang…" Arthur started before Merlin interrupted with a wide eyed innocent look.

"I have to keep up appearances, sire."

Arthur rolled his eyes and Gwen chuckled softly.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gaius hadn't gotten far when he came across a very apologetic Leon in the courtyard. The knight explained why he had helped the queen dose him with the sleeping potion, what Merlin had said, how the widows and mothers were, and how he had helped deliver all the medications on the list to their recipients. Leon ended up following Gaius into the library during his 'debriefing'. Ignoring the knight, Gaius asked Geoffrey the location of various tomes he needed to help him contact the druids, completely forgetting that Audrey could get a message to them easily.

By the time he finally returned to his chamber, with Leon in town carrying sever large and heavy book, the two knights were long gone and the royals had settled at the table to talk about the children the goddess had predicted.

"Sire, Milady. I am sorry I took so long. Geoffrey could not find a number of volumes I was looking for." Gaius stated while throwing heated looks at the knight beside him.

"I wish you hadn't had to take the time. It appears the problem has corrected itself." Arthur replied cryptically.

"Oh?" Gaius raised an eyebrow and glanced at the two sleeping figures. "She didn't…"

Arthur interrupted. "Yes and no. She didn't do it herself, but it couldn't have happened without her."

Gaius's brows scrunched together in confusion.

"We'll explain that later, but for now let us speak of what Merlin and Branwen let slip." Gwen interjected smoothly.

Gaius's eyes widened. "So Merlin wasn't just trying to change the subject."

Gwen blushed and shook her head.

"How long?" the physician pressed.

"I am not entirely sure. I realized it during the battle." She responded flicking embarrassed glances at Leon.

Noticing the looks, Gaius turned to the knight. "You can place those on the bench by the table. You have been a great help, but I shan't keep you from your duties any longer."

Leon nodded his understanding. He placed the books gently on the bench, gave a slight bow before leaving.

No sooner did the sound of Leon's walking fade than Gaius turned on the royals.

"What did she do?" He demanded, causing both the royals to jump.

"I'll answer that." Merlin said sitting up carefully so not to disturb the girl beside him.

"Merlin. You should be resting." Gaius warned.

"Actually, I am fully healed." Merlin responded standing up.

"And how, may I ask, did that happen?" Gaius questioned before glancing at Branwen.

"Morgana showed up, tried to kill me. Branwen threw her back then placed a sleeping spell on her. Then the Triple Goddess took over Bran's body talking about Morgana having been hexed my Morgause, a curse having kept Gwen from conceiving earlier, and then she released my full power to me. After talking with the goddess, she left and Branwen and I were healed instantly by my newly found power. Morgana has been placed in my room under a glamour until I can remove the curse. Also, I am now a metamorph. Did a skip anything?" Merlin asked turning to his seated friends.

"You forgot to mention that Percival and Gwaine were here to see the whole shape shifting thing." Arthur stated in a voice that showed his awe at Merlin's ability to stand against Gaius in such a way.

"Ah! I knew I was missing something…" Merlin muttered to himself.

"There was also your list of titles and the fact that Branwen will be taken over by the spirit again when I give birth." Gwen added with a small smile.

"Wait. You were asleep during the first part of the encounter. How could you possibly know what had happened?" Arthur pondered aloud.

"Your right. That is odd…" Merlin acknowledged.

"Morgana… Goddess… Curse… Shape shifting…" mumbled a wide eyed Gaius as he swayed where he stood.

Noting the Gaius was in a mild shock, Merlin gently ushered him to the nearest seat, settling the old man in it, and fetching him a cup of water. As he placed the cup in his mentor's hand he felt the heat coming off of it. Frowning, Merlin placed a hand on elderly man's forehead.

"Gaius, how long have you had this fever? Or better, how long have you been ill? And don't lie and say you didn't know you were." Merlin asked in a tone similar to the one physician himself used when dealing with stubborn patience.

After draining the entire cup of water, Gaius shivered. "I started noticing symptoms the day of your panic attack."

Merlin's eyes flashed with suppressed anger. "That was nearly a week ago. Did no one notice? Have you been resting and drinking more?"

"Guinevere and Leon have been trying to get me to rest more, but with three stubborn men who keep injuring themselves and the influenza outbreak in the lower town, I have hardly had a moment to think let alone sleep." Gaius replied tiredly.

Merlin's face was now covered with his physician's mask. "Well that ends now. With how worn out you are, you would easily contract the illness, that is if you haven't already. Now you are going to take a fever reducer and a sleeping draft and resting for the remainder of the day. If you fever is gone in the morning, I will leave you be, but otherwise you are stuck with me while I return the favor that you have done for the majority of Camelot for over thirty years. And if I catch you up and about without approval, then I may be forced to use something stronger and more effective than a draft."

Merlin's warning was clear, so Gaius nodded his understanding. Smiling a small smile, Merlin walked over to the shelf and removed two vials. Gaius knew what those small vessels contained and approved of his ward's choice of strengths for both elixirs, so when they were handed to him, he downed them with no complaint.

It only took a few minutes for Gaius to fall into a deep, restorative sleep on his bed. Satisfied, Merlin turned to the two gaping royals seated at the workbench.

"Did you just overrule Gaius in regard to medicine?" Arthur asked in a strained voice.

"Don't look at me like that. I hadn't been working for you I would have taken over most of Gaius's duties years ago. Most people only apprentice for three to six years, I have worked with Gaius for ten and I have been the one making most of the medications for the last three. You heard me arguing about the right herbs the morning after I told you about my magic. With the help of Branwen and her healing magic, I'm beginning to think I can cure a rainy day!" Merlin teased with a smile.

"Well, now that Gaius is resting, we should be going." Gwen said inching her way towards the door.

"Not so fast Gwen. You should be examined to check on the babies." Merlin stated as he pinned her with a stare.

"Babies? How do you know there is more than one?" Arthur asked, wary of his friend's eyebrows.

"The goddess said 'You now bare the children of the Once and Future King' meaning there is more than a single child growing in your wife's womb. Now, if you will kindly leave the room so I can check the health of Gwen and the babies." Merlin practically pushed Arthur out the door in a very Gaius-like manner.

Merlin then turned to Gwen. "You know how this works, so let's get it over with before Branwen wakes up."

The queen blushed at the thought of her best friend checking her over, but nodded her understanding.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

As it turned out, the questions Merlin asked were much more embarrassing than the actual examination. Questions about her cycle, her and Arthur's nights, as well as ones about symptoms she may have brushed off. Merlin then went on to berate her for failing to mention the cramps, nausea, and back pain she had been having for the past three months.

She turned out to be at least sixteen weeks along. After gaining the queen's approval and some magical probing, it was revealed that she is carrying triplets. Merlin told her that in a few more weeks he could tell her the babies' genders in she wished, but for now he was unsure.

Merlin was somewhat worried that Gwen was not showing nearly as much as she should at this stage, but he decided he would talk to Gaius about it when he woke up before he worried the royals with it. Other than that, all four of them seemed healthy, though Merlin did suggest less wine and more tea.

Merlin and Gwen ended up talking in whispers about Branwen growing up when Arthur burst into the room. Gwen raised her eyebrows while Merlin glanced over to make sure his family members had slept through the noise.

"Did you have a reason for barging loudly into a room where you knew at least two people were sleeping, or were you just being an arrogant arse?" Merlin asked with a warning edge.

"Leon is coming!" Arthur said as he leaned over to catch his breath.

Gwen and Merlin's eyes widened as they shifted them from a panting Arthur to each other.


	16. Chapter 16

Gwen jumped out of her chair and grabbed a blanket off the end of Merlin's bed.

"Sit in the chair by Gaius's bed and wrap this around your shoulders and try to look tired" the queen ordered as she threw the blanket at Merlin.

"But," Merlin started.

"Now!" Shouted both of the royals at the same time, interrupting what Merlin was going to say.

Knowing there was no talking to them in their panic, Merlin did as he was told.

As Gwen rushed around the room making it look 'normal', Arthur snuck out of the room so he would not be seen by Leon, as that would let the knight know the king had warned of his coming.

When Leon knocked on the door, Gwen forced herself to slow down and open the door as if she didn't know who was on the other side. Leon apologized for intruding but wanted to know if Merlin was awake.

Before Gwen could answer, Merlin piped in with a tired, but slightly annoyed voice. "I'm awake Leon. Maybe you can get her ladyship to stop babying the three of us and return to her duties?"

Leon smiled and Gwen glared at Merlin.

"He is right Milady, Camelot needs its queen every bit as much as it needs its king. I can stay here until Percival's watch." Leon concurred.

"But," she began to protest when Merlin interrupted her in the same manner she had him, not but a few minutes before.

"Gwen. If nothing else, you need to tell Arthur the news, or would you rather me tell him?" Merlin's eyes were dancing with amusement.

"You wouldn't!" She gasped, wide eyed at the prospect.

"Care to test that theory, my queen?" Asked the raven haired troublemaker with a wise grin.

Gwen hastily excused herself and fled the room.

"Do I want to know what that was about and shouldn't you be in bed?" Leon asked, slightly amused.

"She decided to mother me, Gaius and Branwen until her own children come along, and no." was Merlin's reply.

Leon quirked an eyebrow at that. He then grabbed the stool from beside the table and set it next to Merlin.

"We need to talk." Leon said. There was a hint of uncertainty that made the hairs on Merlin's neck to tingle.

"After we talked earlier I began thinking. Things that have been nagging at me for years finally seemed to fall into place. How I missed it for so long really makes me question my intelligence. It wasn't until your second year in Camelot that I even paid you any mind. It wasn't until you talked Arthur out of killing his father that I realized how much Arthur had changed since you began working for him. I had heard stories, mostly from Geraint, about that 'overly loyal servant', but I had never connected you to those stories. I mean, all I saw was a terrible servant who didn't know his place. But after that day in the throne room, I started paying you more mind. There have been things that have happened over the years since that I wrote off as head injuries or my imagination, but now they make sense." Leon paused for a moment, taking note of the fact that his nerves were showing as he was tracing a sideways eight symbol on the right knee of his trousers.

Leon sat on his hands, sighed, and continued. "Over the years, you and Gaius have let small things slip. If I hadn't been looking I would have never connected the dots. It is all the little things that have piled up over time that gave you away. Certain tones, odd familiarity, things seen in the corner of my eye or through pain and haziness, or just wise moments. You have always been a puzzle that I could never finish, but that was because I was missing a lot of the pieces. Once I saw the entire pictures, I was filled with conflicting emotions. That was until I saw Arthur rush off to warn you I was coming, then him hiding behind that pillar thinking I couldn't see him, and then Gwen's reluctance to leave. If they know and accept it all, then so can I."

Leon paused again, searching Merlin's face for signs of deceit, but all he saw was hope and fear swimming in those slightly panicked eyes.

"I was half awake when you sent the Great Dragon away. I had always passed it off as a side effect of my concussion. But the one that affected me the most was Dragoon. He was there when Gwen needed a miracle, when Arthur needed a sorcerer, and when you had the famorrah in your head. That is why you said that you might kill Arthur. You weren't threatening him, you were warning us about how dangerous it would be to stop you. And then, just a few weeks ago, you saved us all at Camlann, hidden as Dragoon. You are a Dragon Lord and the most powerful magic user that I have ever seen. Thank you. For everything."

Merlin refused to look Leon in the eyes. "You say that now, but you don't know all the trouble I have caused, the pain I have inflicted, the lives I have destroyed."

"Morgana was not your fault." Merlin's eyes shot up.

"Yes, I have known for years what you did. You hurt her to get her evil sister to stop what she was doing. Also, I know you tried to save Uther, though I haven't a clue why you didn't just let his fade away. It would have been better than what happened, and you would have been guiltless." Leon continued.

Suddenly another bit of information clicked in Leon's mind. "Gods! You are the one that let the dragon loose aren't you? That is why you looked so guilty during the attacks! But Merlin, I know you. You wouldn't have freed him without good reason, so I don't blame you for that either. You may have caused many people to die, but you have also saved countless lives, lives that would have otherwise been lost. And besides, you cannot change the past, you can only work to make a better future. So stop letting the past affect you." With that said, Leon smiled

Merlin could hardly believe how accepting Leon was. And at the sight of that smile, Merlin broke down in tears.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Arthur and Gwen were getting worried, but Leon had said he was going to stay until Percival arrived, so they went in search of the giant knight. By the time Percival headed off to takeover, Merlin had been with Leon for at least an hour. That fact worried the royals and two knights. Who knew what would happen if Leon found out about Merlin's power without knowing the circumstances and good that Merlin has done.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Percival was prepared for an angry, betrayed, upset Leon, but he was not expecting this. He walked in to see Merlin laughing so hard tears were running down his face and Leon was curled over on himself in mirth sitting at the table closest to the door. Percival just stood there and watched the two, they seemed as close in this moment as Merlin and Lancelot used to be.

"Gods Merlin! You really said that? Who else heard?" Leon asked through his chuckles, seemingly unaware of the large knight's presence.

"No one. Outside of that, you are the only one I have told that story to. You can see why I have kept that to myself, right?" Merlin asked, appearing equally oblivious.

"Most definitely! But still…" Leon added with a mischievous grin.

Merlin's eyes went wide. "You tell anyone and I will tell them the real story behind that scar on your ankle!"

"What real story?" The words slipped out of Percival's mouth before he had a chance to think.

As Merlin opened his mouth to answer, Leon placed a hand over the younger man's lips and warned, "You tell that story, I'll let your's slip."

Merlin nodded so Leon removed his hand.

"Was there something you needed Percival? Because you can't be here for your shift, it doesn't start for hours yet." Merlin grinned and continued. "You can tell Arthur and Gwen to stop worrying."

Merlin turned to Leon and whispered just loud enough for Percival to hear while still sounding like it was meant to be a secret. "It is funny how you seem to know me better that the rest of them combined."

Percival backed out of the room silently and rushed to update the royals on the situation

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

As soon as the large was out of the room, both men had to cover their mouths to keep from laughing.

"This is the most fun I have had since Arthur and I were squires!" Leon whispered while his entire body shook from amusement.

"Arthur? As someone's squire! I need stories!" Merlin squeaked.

"Oh yes. Arthur was my father's squire and I was Sir Olwin's, before he went blind. If you really want stories, ask Gwen. Her mother worked for my father and Gwen spent a great deal of time around Arthur during that time when she wasn't working for Morgana." Leon sobered up after saying her name.

Noting Leon's reaction, Merlin decided to come clean about her. "Leon, what would you think if someone told you that nothing Morgana has do was her choice and that she was locked in her own body as it is controlled by another's will?"

"How? Dark Magic like the Famorrah? And how did you find this out? I am trusting you on this, don't abuse that trust." Leon's tone was flat.

"The Triple Goddess told me, Arthur and Gwen earlier today. You can check to see if I am lying if you ask them. And yes it was dark magic." Merlin replied in an injured, but defiant voice.

Leon's face remained emotionless, but his eyes were filled with regret. "What else are you hiding from me? I want to trust you completely, but Morgana… She killed innocent people to try and force me and the other knights to swear loyalty to her the first time she took over Camelot. The second time, she tortured my best friend to the limits of human endurance. I was in love with her once, but now… If she really has been locked away inside her body than she has my utmost sympathy, but until that is proven to me I will continue to despise her."

Ignoring the latter part of Leon's impromptu speech, Merlin focused on two pieces of it. 'What else are you hiding from me?' and 'she tortured my best friend to the limits of human endurance.'

"How do you think she would feel if this was all true and she killed her best friend's brother? Gwen was the only reason Morgana didn't go mad years before I arrived. Imagine all that blood on her hands, and not having any control over it. If we are not there to support her, she will fall into madness. If you thought she was bad now, that is only the early signs of insanity. I plan on being there for her once she is free, as do the king and queen."

Merlin searched Leon's face for ideas of how he was taking the news. Emotions passed so quickly across his eyes that Merlin was unable to distinguish them from each other.

Suddenly Leon spoke. "I will help her, but if I see signs that she is faking the whole thing, I will put her out of her misery. If I don't, no one will. I will be the safeguard when dealing with her."


	17. Chapter 17

Branwen woke to her father lecturing Uncle Leon.

"If we are not there to support her, she will fall into madness. If you thought she was bad now, that is only the early signs of insanity. I plan on being there for her once she is free, as do the king and queen." Her taddy said, causing her to ride the edge of consciousness.

It was Leon's voice that forced her to open her eyes. It was cold and flat. "I will help her, but if I see signs that she is faking the whole thing, I will put her out of her misery. If I don't, no one will. I will be the safeguard when dealing with her."

Branwen was not sure who they were talking about, but it raised memories of her days in the pit. The days she lived in darkness and pain. The memories make her relive all of the pain, causing her to cry out. Lost in her pain, she hardly felt the arms wrap around her or heard the voice call her name.

After what seemed like an eternity, her father's voice sounded in her mind. "Branwen! Baby, it isn't real. Come on! Wake up! I am right here. It is alright. You are safe."

She hadn't realized that her eyes were closed until he asked her to wake up. Opening her eyes, she saw her taddy's form, blurred by tears, with his arms holding her close. Not knowing what was happening, she wrapped her arms around him and cried as he hummed mumma's song. Soon she fell back to sleep feeling safe in her father's arms.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Leon had never seen this side of Merlin. There he was rocking his child back and forth, humming in a steady manner all the while having tears pour down his face. The man looked both strong and defenseless at that moment. It was at that moment that Leon realized that Merlin was like a child who had been forced to grow up too fast; he is both childlike in his need for acceptance and love, while hiding that need for the sake of those around him.

Leon had never really thought of how Merlin had grown up. He knew where Merlin had lived and who his mother is, but that was all he knew. For all Leon knew, Merlin could have several sibling. Though, the way Hunith seemed so protective of him the two time the knight had met her, made Leon believe that Merlin was her baby, her youngest. Where had Merlin's father been? Leon knew now that the man had been a dragon lord. Then some other pieces of the mystery that is Merlin fell into place.

'Merlin is a… Gods! No wonder he seems so close to Gaius! He never had a father growing up and Gaius had filled that hole. That would also explain why he was willing to stand up to those above him. He has always been treated like dirt, so he was not afraid to get hurt… Oh no! Lamia! I said… How could he have forgiven any of us for that after all he has been through?' These thoughts ran through Leon's head as he watched the man in question reassure his baby that she was safe and loved, two things that he himself had been mostly denied at that age.

Leon knew he would never see Merlin as the hapless servant ever again, instead he would see a man who had overcome his birth and had become someone that anyone would be honored to call friend. So, while Merlin was getting Branwen back to sleep, Leon slipped out of the room. Knowing that Percival would be nearby, he set off to the library to do some digging.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It took three days for Merlin to find a way out purging another's magic from a magic user. It wouldn't have taken quite so long if he hadn't needed to pretend to still be injured for the rest of Camelot while caring for a sick Gaius, a traumatized Branwen, and a sleeping Morgana who he was still hiding in his room.

As it turned out, Morgana was possessed. Apparently Morgause had managed to place a seed of her power inside Morgana, and it grew until Morgause was killed. But since it was Morgana that had done the deed, Morgause's soul was pulled into Morgana's body, where it quickly took over. So, in a way, Morgause never really died. This also explained Morgana's sudden ability to use abilities that she had never had time to have learnt during her year of hiding.

There were three problems with exercising Morgause from Morgana's body. First, the two had been merged so long that it might harm or even kill Morgana removing her. Second, Morgana had to want her freedom. And lastly, Merlin would need Branwen's help, or more accurately the Triple Goddess, to destroy Morgause's soul once it was out of its host. If her spirit remained in this world it would be a rogue dorocha.

Before he could do anything, Merlin needed to wake Morgana and attempt to reach her by distracting Morgause. The worst part was that Merlin didn't know how to tell his friends what he was going to have to do. In fact, the only one who did know, was Leon. And the two of them had hardly spoken since their argument about the witch.

Leon would show up at random times of the day to check that Morgana was still unconscious. He had also began to stare oddly at Merlin, but the warlock was at a loss to explain them. Today, as soon as Leon arrived, Merlin announced that he was going to wake Morgana and feed her and attempt to reach past Morgause's control. He then handed Leon a bag of fine powder that could be used to knock Morgana out if things went sour.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

After leaving Merlin with his weeping daughter, Leon headed to the library. It had only taken a few hours with Geoffrey's help for Leon to find all he could ever want to know about Merlin's ancestry. Gaius's past was easy to find and thus, so was Hunith's. Finding Balinor the Dragonlord's lineage was a touch difficult due to a good bit of records having been destroyed by Uther at the beginning of the purge. But by midnight, Leon probably knew more about where Merlin had come from than the man himself did.

As it turned out, Merlin was a minor noble. If Merlin had been born legitimate, he would be considered a high noble. Hunith's mother had been the youngest daughter of a duke until she ran off and married a merchant. After her husband died, she remarried. This time it was a physician, Gaius's father. Gaius was nearly twenty-five at the time and it was three years later that Hunith was born.

On the other side of Merlin's family, Leon found that Lord Balinor was the late Queen Igraine's cousin. Their mothers' were twin sisters, a trait that was said to common in the De bois family. And with Agravaine dead, Merlin actually had a claim to the land that belonged to the De bois family. As of right now, that land was given to Arthur as he was thought to be the last of the De bois bloodline, but now that he and Geoffrey knew, that was about to change.

It was this new found knowledge that kept causing Leon to stare perplexedly at the noble-servant-physician-warlock. Merlin had not known that he was a noble, but he had still confronted the then prince ten years ago. Merlin had acted like a cousin to Arthur without knowing that he was. In fact, Merlin had shown most of heritage, magic included, on many occasions and no one had really thought anything of it. Merlin truly was an open book from the beginning. It was a wonder that no one had pieced all of this years ago.

After three days, Leon was finally going to tell Merlin everything when man in question pushed a cloth pouch in his hands and quickly told him the plan to wake the witch and attempt to reach the real Morgana. He was then instructed on how to use the bag's contents if things started to get out of control. He was then warned that the effects would not be limited to Morgana's body, but anyone with magic who breathed it in.

That was worrisome for the knight. Merlin was the only one keeping life in the castle from imploding. If Merlin was knocked out with the powder, he would be of no use for at least a day. That meant that Gwen, Arthur, Audrey, and half the knights would be up here keeping an eye on the man instead of completing their duties. It would also mean that there was no one with any real medical knowledge able to help anyone, such as the feverish Gaius.

Luckily, Branwen was currently with the queen and Percival down in the town shopping for cloth. Arthur would be in a council meeting until midday and Gwaine was currently out on patrol. In fact, this was THE best time for them to do this. All that really needed done was for Leon to gather the food from the kitchens while Merlin moved Gaius to a nearby room, just in case the powder was needed.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

She woke slowly, feeling like her brain was trying to escape from her skull. The room was far too bright for her to keep her eyes open for more than a split second at a time. Once her eyes had properly adjusted, she scanned her surroundings. Instead of waking in the dungeons or tied to a pyre, she was laying on a cot in His room.

The thought of His triggered a conflict inside of her. Part of her was smirking at the foolishness of her capture, she wasn't even bound for heaven's sake! A different part of her knew this was going to end badly, she had no real hope that her magic was free, no one was that stupid, not even Him. And a tiny piece, hidden deep down, was both incredibly happy to have finally been caught, while saddened that He was going to have to be the one to hurt her again.

It was that tiny bit of her that had seen how much it had hurt him to poison her all those years ago, the same part that hope that she was killed for all the terrible things she had done. The part that hoped that her suffering would be over soon. This fragment was all that remained of her former self, what she had been before her mind had been warped by her older sister. This was all that was left of the real Morgana Le Fey, daughter of Lord Gorlois and the Lady Vivienne, Duke and Duchess of Cornwall.

Suddenly, all parts of her were startled by His appearance. His face held no emotion, his eyes were searching for something. He then nodded and walked forward with a tray containing a bowl of vegetable soup, a chunk of bread, and a pitcher of something to drink. He placed it on the table beside the bed and sat down on a nearby chair.

"Hello Morgause. How are you enjoying your stay in your sister's body and mind? It must be nice to finally be pretty." He asked as he stared into her eyes.

At that moment, her mind shifted. That tiny fraction was beyond happy that someone finally knew, while the rest of her slipped into a cold rage.

"How could you have possible have figured that out? I have held her mind for nearly eight years. There is barely any of her still left, but that smidgen of her pathetic existence was what allied that worthless excuse of a dragon to me and my cause. So, maybe it was a good thing to have allowed that remnant of her consciousness to remain." Morgause smirked when realization flashed in her enemy's eyes.

"I wondered why that pure creature I hatched would join such a twisted soul, but it is comforting to know that she could feel the kind soul of the woman who used to be my friend." This statement enraged Morgause.

As Merlin and Morgause continued to insult each other, that remnant of Morgana felt something pulling at her attention. It felt like when Aithusa or Mordred had tried speaking into her mind. This made her reach out to the feeling, letting it wash over her.

"Morgana? Can you hear me?"

"Merlin! I can hear you! Oh please tell me you can hear me too! I don't think I could bare you to leave me alone in here!"

"Yes Morgana, I am here. I have found a way to free you, but you have to want it to work. It will hurt, but she will be gone. You can be free. Do you want that?"

"More than anything, but what life will there be for me? She has destroyed any chance of me living a normal life. She has made me the most feared person in all of Albion! Who would even want anything to do with me? All I have in this world is Aithusa, but even she has been destroyed by my sister..."

"Arthur and Gwen know that you have been trapped in your own mind by Morgause. They will be there for you, and so will I."

"After all we have done to you? We nearly killed you! Several times! How will you even bare being near me after all this is over?"

"I have nearly killed you too… It was one of the hardest things I had ever done poisoning you…"

"I know that. I saw it in your eyes. If I didn't know better, I would have thought you were in love with me."

"I was and still am. That is why I want to free you, so you can be happy. That is all I have ever wanted for you. I have loved you since that day you mistook me for Gwen the day after I arrived in Camelot. I had moments where I fell for another, but I always had a part of my heart that was yours and yours alone."

"Merlin… I never knew you shared my feelings… I knew you had a baby… I assumed you had a wife or lover hidden somewhere…"

"Wait. How did you know about my child?"

"I followed you one day not long after you arrived in the city. I was out riding when I saw you, so I followed. I hadn't known much about you, but I was curious. I saw you come out of a house holding the babe, the look in your eyes was the same as the one my father had when he held little Elaine in his arms before she died… I knew in that moment that the child was yours. The next day you drank poison for Arthur."

"You knew about her all this time, but Morgause never used her to get me away from Arthur?"

"We assumed that he meant more to you than the baby. You were willing to make her fatherless after all."

"I was a poor excuse for a father those first few years… After I poisoned you… I needed her in my life after that. She was all I had left of the woman I loved… She was… I had lost too many women to lose her too."

"Her mother, what happened to her?"

"I killed her by having her bare my children… I lost two women that day…"

"Two?"

"She had been carrying twins… The labor killed her and our other daughter…"

"It wasn't your fault."

"Men with no fathers have no right to be fathers."

"You had a father. You may not have him, but he existed. You were not fatherless."

"In Ealdor, I was known as Merlin Snow. When she married me, she took that last name. Any child I had would bare that name. No child should have to live with that."

"You had no control over your birth, but you did the right thing and married before having children. Uther was my father in case you forgot. At least you weren't lied to about your parents like I was."

"Hmm… Just another thing we have in common. Morgause and I are nearly finished throwing insults, which means I will have to place a sleeping spell on you again. I need to know if you want me to try to free you."

"Yes! Thank you, for everything. And do not feel bad if you needed to kill me to stop her. It would be better than living like this. And if you cannot bring yourself to do it, then find someone who will give me a quick death. I choose freedom or death, do not make a third choice. Go now."

"Sleep now Milady, you will be free soon."

"Onslæp nu" Merlin casted the spell and gently covered the woman. "I will free you."

Turning from the bed, Merlin looked to where Leon was hidden by a cloaking spell.

"Morgana wants me to free her, but she says she would rather die than remain the way she is. She told me to be ready to kill her or find someone who will…" The sadness was clear in his voice.

"You love her." Leon said this as a statement rather than a question.

Merlin nodded and walked to the door. "Yes. And because of that, I have work to do."


	18. Chapter 18

The following week was beyond hectic. Gaius was still recovering, so Merlin was the acting physician, even with him still pretending to be weaken by his injuries. When he needed to do something in the city that wasn't medical related, Merlin would disguise himself as various people he had grown up around, though Old Man Simmons was his preference. No one messed with an old cranky man who complained with every other breath.

On top of his medical duties, Merlin was still helping Branwen deal with the after mass of her time with the Sarrum. The name made Merlin's very blood boil. At times, Merlin wished that the monster had died slower and much more painfully for what he had done. But he put that aside as he hugged and sang his daughter through her pain and nightmares. He did basically the same thing for Percival as well.

He also spent the rest of his time dealing the Morgana/Morgause problem. He made sure that they were kept hydrated and fed while spending hours a day researching how to minimize the pain of the separation for Morgana. Merlin had even went to Kilgharrah's cave to discuss the problem with both of the dragons. In the end, Merlin knew the best way to remove Morgause and be rid of her for good. Now, all he needed to do was gather the monarchs, knights and the proper supplies.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It had taken a while to get used to, but Gwaine was finally coming to terms with the fact that any woman he flirted with might very well be a transfigured Merlin. It had been hard, but he had managed to steered clear of the kitchen and bar maids except when he knew where Merlin was at that moment. In fact, he had been complementing the newest employee of the Rising Sun when Leon told him that Merlin needed him in the smaller council room in the west wing. When he and Leon arrived, Gwaine saw Percival lowering Morgana's limp form, now dressed in a clean pale dress, to the floor. The Queen and Princess were there as was Merlin.

It took a moment for the knight to realize what was about to happen, and quite frankly, he was surprised. Gwaine was nearly positive that Merlin hadn't slept in the past week. Percival and Branwen had nightmares every night and would seek Merlin out. Which took up a large portion of the night. Add to that the fact that Merlin had almost completely replaced Gaius as the court physician while the man was ill. And when he wasn't doing things related to that, he seemed to be neck deep in research on magical possessions. Sure, Merlin now had full control over his body, but surely he needed to sleep at least a little.

Just as quickly as the thoughts hit him, Gwaine pushed them aside. Even if Merlin was dying, he would still do this. That is just how Merlin was, he would willingly die to help someone who needed him. That is why Gwaine cared for Merlin so much, he was so pure hearted that you could tell when he believed he had done something wrong. Gwaine had known for years that Merlin did a great deal that no one really knew about, but it wasn't until Merlin's magic and scars were revealed that Gwaine understood the extent of Merlin's endeavors.

Seeing the determination in Merlin's eyes as he looked at Morgana, Gwaine remembered all the pain in Merlin's eyes when people had mentioned Morgana's year as a captive. Gwaine had only seen that look a few times and they were always on the face of those who lost the person they loved. 'Merlin is in love with Morgana! All this time he has been fighting the woman he loved, thinking that she chose to do these horrible things… Poor Merlin… He has been in a living hell since before he met me!'

Gwaine was pulled out of his thoughts as Merlin explained his plan.

"I have dosed them with tinctures that should reduce the pain of separation, so I will wake them up as I bind Morgana's magic briefly. I will then use a variation of the spell Sigan used all those years ago to pull Morgause out of Morgana's body. Morgana will be unable to do much of anything for a few days after this due to how long she has been suppressed, so keep an eye out for her if things don't go completely as planned."

"Once Morgause's soul is outside of her host, I will then use the spell I used to seal Sigan in his crystal to force Her into this one." Merlin then showed the group a fist-sized crystal ball.

"At first the plan was to get the Triple Goddess to banish her spirit to the Void in which souls cease to exist, but that would mean that Branwen would have to be here… I can't do that to her and this way is simpler. Leon, do not hesitate to uses that powder. It is a mixture of Vervain, Copal, Ague, Betel Nut, Birch, Feverwort, Cloves, Velvet Dock, and St John's-wort. All of these are used to banish magic. Any magic user who breaths that powder in will have their magic protect itself and in doing so they will be knocked out for several hours."

"Once Morgause is in the crystal, Morgana's white dragon Aithusa has offered to destroy it her fire. Any questions? And by questions, I mean ones relevant to what is about to happen."

Gwaine was only slightly annoyed that Merlin had pinned him with a glare at that last sentence. "I was only going to ask who changed her clothing. Morgause will likely be upset that you dressed her in something so light."

Merlin rolled his eyes and Gwen answered. "Me and Branwen bathed and dressed her. And I will have you know that that dress was one of Morgana's favorites. She needs to know that we are here for her, and what better way than to show her we remember who she was before Morgause."

Gwaine threw up his hands in mock surrender causing smiles to appear on Leon and Arthur's faces and slight scowls on Gwen, Percival, and Merlin's.

"Any real questions?" Merlin asked with an impatient huff.

"Why a crystal ball? Wouldn't any crystal work?" Arthur asked eying the orb.

"The smooth surface will keep her from being released by someone touching it after she is inside." Merlin sounded as if he had already had this conversation, and based on the guilty look on Leon and Percival's faces, he had.

Percival raised his hand. Merlin's face softened at the sight. "Yes Percival?"

"What happens if we have to use the powder before you manage to use the spell that locks her in the ball?"

"My neckerchief should keep me from breathing it in. If things start going badly, I will pull it over my nose and mouth. Also, I can put a shield up that blocks it if I need to. Don't worry Percy; that is never going to happen again."

Percival nodded, but didn't look convinced. Gwaine was trying to figure out what was bothering the big guy when Leon asked, "Did you tell him about what she might become? Is that why he hardly seems to sleep?"

Both Merlin and Percival looked ashamed. "What? Merlin, what is Leon referring to?" Gwen asked, her voice betraying just how worried she was.

Merlin sighed. "If her spirit is not bound in a stone or host, she will become a dorocha, and like the others, she will not be banished without a blood sacrifice. But I will not let it come to that and she would possess someone before she would let herself become a mindless deathbringer. Pulling her out of someone who she has not been bound to for years and has no magic will be much easier to expel than removing her from Morgana. But this is also why I not want you to stay while I am doing this Gwen. You are the only person with medical knowledge, you are also queen and with child."

Gwaine was dumb struck. The princess was going to be a father and didn't tell them! Just as he was about to comment, Leon and Percival shared a look before they both flanked a gaping Guinevere and escorted her out of the room. Gwen didn't even protest, but she did leave a final comment. "I guess I will go see if I can keep Bran and Gaius company. Be careful."

"It is the whole Guinevere Gwen name issue all over again" Leon moaned as he and Percival rejoined the group.

"Hey, you guys call me 'Perc' and 'Percy' all the time. How is this different?" Percival retorted.

"Gentlemen, I think we have better things to do than discuss my wife's shortening of Branwen's name." Arthur interjected, ending their conversation.

"Thank you." Merlin said, nodding to Arthur. "Now, back to what the matter at hand. I am going to place a concealment enchantment over the four of you so that Morgause doesn't notice you at first. It will only hide you if you are more than five feet from me. One or more of you suddenly appearing should work as an excellent distraction if needed. It will also keep her from immediately trying to take one of you over. She doesn't know about my part in taking down Sigan, so she will underestimate how much I know about soul binding. Now get in position so I can cast the spell."

Gwaine couldn't help himself, he had to do it, with a grin of course. "Sorry mate, but did you just call it a spell? You called it an enchantment only moments before."

Merlin pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before replying, "A spell is magic that is chanted, an enchantment is magic that makes something appear different than it really is. Alright? Since I have to say the words for the think to work, it is both a spell and enchantment. Happy?"

Gwaine grinned at Merlin's impatience to help the woman he loves and replied, "Incredibly!"

Merlin rolled his eyes at the knight before incanting the spell, hiding them from view. Next he pulled out a vial of ammonia salt and waved the now uncorked end under the sleeping woman's nose as he softly chanted the spell to bind her power. For a split second there was a loving look on Merlin's face, but as she began to stir from the smell, the love was replaced with determination.

The witch levered herself up and took in her surroundings. After a few moments she spoke. "Well Emrys, you have been busy. Did you like what you saw when you bathed me? I always thought you had feelings for my poor pathetic sister."

Merlin's face never even waivered as he listened and replied, "My daughter is the one you should thank for being clean, not me. As for Morgana, she was my friend before you forced me to poison her to save Camelot."

"Oh yes." She smirked. "I practically had to rip her fading body from your grasp after you tricked her into drinking that Hemlock. You almost ruined all of my plans that day."

Gwaine's heart cinched at the thought of Merlin watching the woman he loved drink poison that he had given her, but it was very Merlin to hold her as she died.

"You gave me no choice that day. It was her or all of Camelot, I just how she has the heart to forgive me for my choice when she is free of you."

The laugh that came from Morgana's mouth sounded exactly like Morgause. "You think you can free her without killing her? You have no Idea how tight a hold I have on her, try anything and what is left of her will be extinguished."

"I spoke with her last time you were awake. She said she would rather die than remain trapped as she is. And yes I do know how deep you are in her mind and body. That is why I have been seasoning all of your food with herbs that have weakened your hold on her. Now it is time for you to go!" Merlin then began to chant as he pulled out the foggy stone orb.

Morgause attempted to shout various curses, but Merlin's binding had done its job.

As Merlin finished the spell Morgana threw her head back and a black smoke-like cloud with ribbons of blood red energy woven through it poured out of her mouth as she let loose a bloodcurdling scream. Morgana crumpled as soon as the entity left her body.

Merlin only had time to take a single breath before the cloud engulfed him. The sight kicked the hidden men into action. Gwaine saw Percival scoop up Morgana in the corner of his eye as he, Arthur, and Leon rushed forward to help their friend.

Gwaine could hear Merlin saying something, but he couldn't make out what is was over the sound of the rushing air that circled the warlock. Just before Leon, who was in the lead, reached Merlin, the cloud poured into Merlin's nose and mouth. The thin man twitched as his eyes showed a battle between the pure gold of Merlin's magic against the red of Morgause's. Moments later, the red seemed to win.

Leon saw this and threw an entire handful of the No-magic dust at Merlin's face. Just before the compound reached its target, a red flash of the eyes and it blew back into the faces of Arthur and Leon, who both collapsed immediately. Gwaine didn't have time to ponder that because not two seconds Merlin's eyes rolled back in his head and started to topple over. Gwaine caught him and lowered him carefully to the ground.

It was at this point that Gwaine noticed the sphere from before had changed. It was no longer the hazy ball that looked like ice, but instead, it was like a deep red ruby with splashes of black and a pulsating center that seemed to glow. Gwaine pulled his eyes away from it as Merlin began to stir.

Merlin sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly with his free hand. He then looked down at the gem in his hand and gave an amused huff. "The book said that the more evil someone has in their soul, the darker the gem will be. Sigan must have been a nice person compared to this woman. His was only a medium blue… What happened to Arthur and Leon! Did.. did I do that to them?" That last bit was said with a shaky voice.

"No Mate, it was that bag of herb stuff. Leon tossed it at you and it got blown back into their faces, knocking them out. It is funny really. Both of them grew up hating magic only to have it themselves." Gwaine started chuckling at the thoughts running through his brain.

"This is not funny!" Merlin insisted. "For all you know. I might have made the compound wrong at it is slowly killing them!" Merlin then got up and quickly checked the two sleeping figures over.

"Gwaine?" Merlin called over his shoulder.

"What is it mate?" There was something in Merlin's tone that sent shivers down his spine.

"Where is Percival and Morgana?" Merlin's question flooded him with relief.

"I don't know. I saw him pick her up right after the witch cloud attacked you, but he hasn't come back yet. But then again, that was less than five minutes ago."

Gwaine would have continued, but right as he finished saying that, Percival stepped back through the enchantment.

"I knew I had forgotten something…" Merlin muttered. His eyes flashed and the cloak dropped.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

Gwen's jaw dropped when Merlin walked into the room carrying Morgana, followed by Gwaine with Leon, and then Percival toting Arthur. "What happened? Are they alright? Are you done already? Well, answer me!"

"Gwen, you need to let us put them down, then we will answer all of those question and some of those that result from our answers." Merlin replied calmly as pushed past her to lay Morgana down in his room.

Gwen had only heard Merlin use that tone a few times, usually when he was needing to care for the wounded and a family member was getting in the way. She hadn't thought that she was hindering anything at the time, but Merlin's tone made her realize that she had not even given them any time to reply before she was practically jumped down their throats.

But she was worried! Leon was her oldest friend, someone who knew her heart and mind. And Arthur was the love of her live. If she lost either one of them, she would fall into despair.

As Merlin reemerged, Gwen realized she had been standing there with mouth hung open the entire time. She quickly closed it and turned to study the unconscious men. Leon had been laid on the patient cot and Arthur on Gaius's bed. Luckily, Gaius was still using that guest chamber that he had been give the week before.

Both men seemed to simply be sleeping. But why? They had been fine when she had been forced out of the old chamber not but quarter of an hour ago. And since the three men were now free of their slumbering cargo, Gwen wanted answers.

"Well. What happened?"

Gwaine was the one who answered. "Merlin chanted an enchantment to hide us from Morgause. He knocked her down a peg and then pulled her out of Morgana's mouth as a red and black smoke. She attacked him, and the four of us ran to help. She forced her way into Merlin's body and used a spell to throw that sleepy sorcerer dust that Leon hurled at her back into Leon and Arthur's faces, knocking them out. Merlin then fell too, but somehow pushed the witch into that ball thing. Merlin then got up and checked on these two while telling me off. He then asked where Percival had gotten to. He had grabbed Morgana and taken her out into the hallway and hid her. He got back just in time to hear Merls here ask about him." Gwaine looked thoughtful for a second. "That just leaves your question about if they were fine or not. Your turn mate."

Merlin gave the knight a small smile before he explained what he believed happened. "I don't know for sure, but I think they have magic in some form. Leon was brought back from the brink of death with the Cup of Life and Arthur has to. Arthur was also conceived through the use of magic, so he does have at least some magic in him." Merlin hung his head. "I should have thought of that before I decided to give the stuff to Leon."

"You can't think of everything mate." Gwaine pointed out.

"Just be glad I took Morgana. Otherwise you might have had to carry me up here too." All eyes turned to the large knight. "My mother was a former druid" He explained.

That appeased everyone for now, but Gwen knew there would be questions asked on that subject later.

"So will there be alright?" Gwen asked again.

"They should be fine after they sleep it off. Though, I am going to do some snooping to see what kind of magic they have." Merlin replied.

"Type?" Percival asked for the group.

Merlin sighed and slipped into an air of enlightenment. "There are many kinds of magic users. Some have only magic that keeps them from becoming ill, others the the ability to do minor spells such as light and fire summoning. These are considered weak users. Then there are those who, after years of study, are able to do a variety of spells in a single field magic, such as healing, scrying, or nature. These are lower level casters. Those who have studied and can use more than one field are average users. Then there are witches and warlocks. Both of these are born with magic which then manifests later in life. Morgana and Mordred fall into this category. These are the most powerful users of magic."

"That makes sense. So, Merlin. Gaius said you are a warlock. How old were you when you first used your magic?" Gwen asked curiously.

"I used it the day I was born." was his reply staring down at his hands...

Everyone in the room gasped.

"What did you do?" Percival asked softly.

"My mother was bleeding out due to me being birthed feet first. My mother said my eyes glowed and the bleeding stopped and the pain lessened. She was alone at the time as the midwife had not arrived yet, as her labor had been a very short one." Merlin gave an amused huff. "She often joked that it was the only time I was early for anything."

Gwen just stared at her friend. And when Merlin looked up, the confusion of his face as he looked at his friends, showed that she was not the only one staring at him.

"What?" His confusion made him look eighteen again.

"You are one of a kind mate…" Gwaine whispered through his awe.

A bright smile graced Merlin's face. "So I am told." he replied cheekily.


	19. Chapter 19

Leon had seen the powder he had thrown get tossed back into his face. He also remembered the descent to the floor before his eyes closed. So when he woke in one of Gaius's spare cots, he was not at all surprised. What did surprise him was seeing Arthur asleep on Gaius's bed. Leon spent the next few minutes with his eyes closed trying to come up with a theory as to how the two of them had magic, but his mussing was cut short by Arthur stirring.

As expected, Gwen rushed to check on her husband, and Merlin, strangely enough, came over and checked on Leon. "Done pretending to be asleep?" Merlin asked softly.

Seeing the confused look on the knight's face, Merlin elaborated. "You stirred like Arthur over there about two hours ago. Not long after that, your breathing changed from that of someone sleeping to that of some who is awake, but resting. That is why I didn't try talking to you then, but since you are clearly awake now, we need to talk about what happened."

"Me and Arthur, we were raised to hate magic, we killed scores of Druids and people thought to have magic, and now it appears that we are the very things we used to hunt… How many of those that we killed were like us? People who have magic, but never used or even knew about it… I have killed people who no control over it… I… I.." Leon turned and vomited. Luckily, Merlin had seen the signs and managed to get a bucket under the knight's chin just in time.

"Gods!" Leon groaned, "I feel as though someone told me that I have been eating infants all my life… It sickens me…"

Merlin gave him a sad smile. "Welcome to the world of most secret magic users. I have seen and caused the death of more magic users than I care to admit… If you need someone to talk to, Gaius and I are here, don't hesitate to lean on us if you need to. And don't be surprised if Branwen starts telling you about her problems. You are one of her uncles and you have some magic, though I don't know how muck as of yet, but that will be all she needs to bond with you like she has Percival."

Leon's brows scrunched in confusion. "Percival has magic too?"

Merlin nodded as his eyes flickered to Arthur's sleeping form. "Percival's mother was once a druid." Merlin then chuckled slightly. "You and he now have something more than fighting in common."

Leon let one side of his lips curl into a slight smile. "How much longer until Arthur wakes up do you think?"

"If he is comfortable there, several hours, if not, less than an hour." Merlin's eyes showed such fondness as he looked at his sleeping master.

"What are you going to tell him?" Leon was rather curious.

"I am going to tell him the truth. He was conceived with magic and some of it could have stayed in him. Also, I have used a great deal of magic to on him, to keep him alive, over the years that some of it might still be swimming in his system. He will deny it for a few days before he realizes that he is no different now that what he was before, then he will calm down and want to talk about it."

Leon smiled. "I wager it will only take two days."

Merlin flashed him a grin. "I accept. 10 silvers?"

Leon held out his hand. "Deal"

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

For the last two days, Morgana had been in a limbo between sleep and wakefulness. And in this state, she could heard everything that happened around her since Morgause's removal. She had listened to Percival's apologetic mumbles, Merlin's concerned ordering, his quiet pledge to help her, and even Gwaine's colored remarks about Leon being a woman in disguise. She had heard Merlin explain his theory about Arthur and Leon's collapse during her freeing, though that had been from the adjoining room. If she could have, she would have laughed at Arthur's denial of having magic, it was like those time she beat him and he refused to admit it. She also heard the story of Merlin's first use of magic.

Morgana had been wondering why Merlin had never told her about his magic when he learned of hers, but she had put it down as cowardice. Now she truly understood. Merlin had been taught to hide what he was from his earliest moments. The fact that he actually managed to tell Arthur was just shy of a miracle.

In a way, Morgana was glad to be able to overhear what was happening. She finally understood some things about her old friends that she had never quite understood before. She realized that despite his power, Merlin really was the goofy young man she had had such a crush on before sleeping sickness. And Merlin wasn't the only one she learned about during those four days of limbo. She gained insight into the lives of everyone who spoke with earshot of her. But the one she learned the most about was Branwen Alura.

The poor child had lost so much and had suffered more pain than any child ever should. The girl had even been held in the same oubliette as she had, and they both suffered at the Sarrum's hand. Morgana felt a bond to the girl, much like the one she shared with Aithusa. And Morgana swore that when she woke up for real, she, Merlin, and that little sweetheart were going to have a long chat about their inner darkness. But for now, Morgana was just enjoying her freedom and Merlin's fussing.

Merlin had been so gentle in his care of her apparently sleeping form. He had come and feed her soup at least twice a day as his busy life allowed. He would tenderly pile pillows behind her to make the feeding more comfortable. He would lovingly wipe away any food that failed to go into or remain in her mouth. If there was one thing Morgana was sure of at this moment was that Merlin really did care about her. And if she was at all honest with herself, she cared deeply for him too.

That is why she was currently panicking. She had just managed to open her eyes and lever herself into a semi-comfortable lounge when Merlin had come in to check on her. He had grinned widely and started walking towards her when his eyes rolled up into his head and he slumped to the floor. She hadn't meant to scream, but it had brought Leon and Gwaine running.

Her eyes had locked onto Merlin as he had started to fall and they only broke contact when Leon got between her and her destiny. She was in shock, she knew that, but she pushed it from her mind as she tried to get out of the bed to check to see if the knight knew what he was doing. She barely managed to sit all the way up before she felt drained. In fact, she would have fallen over onto the floor if Gwaine, the man she had watched her sister torture half to death, hadn't caught her.

"What happened? Is he alright? Is this my fault? Oh Gwaine I am so sorry! If I had been stronger… If I had not trusted her… This is all my fault!" She cried in a quiet but definitely panicked voice.

"Shhh… It will be alright Morgana. He hasn't slept in over a week. How he made it this long is a wonder. And it is not your fault. She did all of those things, not you. And how could you have known what she was back then? I don't blame you for those things. I mean, I did, but after finding out what she had done to you… No, I don't blame you. Now lay back down. Merlin will kill me if I let you get up. She almost killed you when she left. If Merlin hadn't been giving you those draughts for those days before hand, you would be dead right now. So, lay down."

She would have fought, but she was completely drained and was already losing the edges of her vision to the darkness.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

When Leon had heard Morgana's scream and the tumbling noise from the upper room, he had assumed that her magic had been triggered by Merlin's entrance, but the moment he saw the fear for the man on the floor on her face, he knew something was up. He was still checking the man over when he heard Gwaine tell Morgana about Merlin not sleeping.

Why was Merlin so stubborn? Leon had always known Arthur was, but Merlin much worse than the king. But Leon couldn't worry about that right now. Merlin had deemed Gaius well enough to return to his chambers, but once the older man heard what had happened to his ward, nothing would keep him from helping.

Turning his head, Leon saw Gwaine lower Morgana back down on the bed. "Gwaine, go get Gaius."

Nodding, Gwaine did as he was told.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

It took two days for Arthur to come to terms with his magic and another one before he was willing to ask Merlin about it. During those three days, Arthur had seen Merlin once, and that was through a window.

Merlin had looked worn out. That is one of the reasons Arthur had waited so long to talk to him. The man has enough to do without having to explain magic to the king. But after two days, Arthur decided he had waited long enough.

When he entered the Physician chambers, Arthur had expected to see Merlin brewing tonics while one of the knights played with Branwen on the other side of the room, like they usually did. But instead, he saw Gaius, sitting in a chair beside a pale and deeply asleep Merlin while Morgana, who Arthur did not know had woken, Leon, and Gwaine sat at the table watching the man sleep with their worry filled eyes.

"What happened?" Arthur asked quietly as he walked softly towards the knights.

"Merlin refused to sleep after the Goddess thing. He finally passed out when he saw that Morgana here was awake." Gwaine said gently.

"I screamed…" Morgana whispered in a broken voice.

Arthur raised a confused eyebrow, so Leon quickly explained. "When she saw Merlin start to fall she screamed in panic. Luckily, Gwaine and I had just shown up."

Arthur now understood Morgana's statement, but now he was confused as to why those two had shown up. Seeing the question in the king's face Gwaine gave his the backstory.

"Merlin had kicked us out the day before and told us not to come back in here unless someone needed medical help. Well the day he collapsed, Leon and I were sparring when my neck started acting up again."

Arthur nodded. He knew that Gwaine's neck would seize up now and then do to the damage done by the nathair. It had already been decided that if it continued to happen that the knight would be removed from active service and placed in a training position.

Seeing the nod, Gwaine continued. "Well, he asked us to wait down here until he fed Morgana. He barely got through the door before we heard Morgana's fright and then a sound of something hitting the floor. I followed Leon into the room and saw Merlin out cold on the floor and a dazed and shocked Morgana trying to get up and help. So while Leon checked on Merlin, Morgana and I had a moment before she fell back to sleep. Once she was out, Leon had me get Gaius, who Merlin had just cleared to get out of bed."

Arthur turned around and looked at Gaius. The man appeared younger than he had in years, but he still looked tired and worn out. Arthur knew that Merlin had likely given Gaius's magic a boost, as the physician's well known droopy left eye now matched its partner and had a faint trace of gold to them. Arthur then turned back to the knight and nodded, signaling him to continue.

"Well, when I got back with Gaius, Leon had moved Merlin to down here and Gaius checked him over. Apparently Merlin had exhausted his body and magic by doing too much in such a short span of time. Gaius said he should wake sometime today or tomorrow and that if Merlin had done this a few years ago that he would be dead right now…"

Arthur just nodded as his eyes drifted to Morgana. She had tears pouring down her face, but her eyes were locked on Merlin. Without thinking, he sat down beside her and pulled her into a comforting hug. She stiffened at first, but soon had her arms wrapped around him and cried into his chest.

"When did you wake up again?" He asked her softly.

Her reply was somewhat muffled, as she still had her face pressed into his chest. "A few hours ago (sniffle) I think. (sniffle) I had to beg them (sniffle) to let me down here. (sniffle) I can't even walk yet. (sniffle) How can you (sniffle) stand to be near me?"

At this question, she pulled back to look her brother in the face. Her voice was so broken that Arthur's chest clinched. He pulled her back into a hug and replied.

"I always hoped I could change your mind, that we could be a family again. When I found out it had all been Morgause, I promised that I would make up for not saving you sooner. I am so sorry Morgana… I should have kept her from returning to Camelot, I should have protected you. I have nothing to be upset with you about. It wasn't your fault."

As if on cue, Merlin turned over in his sleep, causing five sets of eyes to settle on him. They all hoped he would wake, but the steady pattern of his breathing make that possibility unlikely.

"He never really did like sleeping on his back…" Morgana whispered, but everyone heard her and chuckled softly.

Arthur saw his sister's eyes starting to droop, so he scooped her up and started taking her to bed. She shrieked quietly when she felt herself being lifted.

"What are you doing?!" She squeaked, her eyes panicked.

You said you couldn't walk and you are clearly exhausted, so I am taking you to bed." he replied firmly.

A small smile replaced her confused frown when she realized that she was not going to be locked up. She felt lighter and happier than she had in nearly a decade. She snuggled into his arms and was asleep before Arthur reached the top of the stairs. Arthur laid her down gently, covered her with the blanket, and lent down and placed a kiss on her hair.

Arthur knew he needed to get back to his duties, so he asked to be informed if either person woke. As he left he could have sworn Leon had said something about Merlin being right and the man being owed money, but that couldn't be right could it?


	20. Chapter 20

Gwen was tired. She was tired of Arthur not paying her any attention, tired of Merlin being nowhere to be found, and she was tired of sitting around. She felt terrible half the time, and moving about made her feel better.

The nausea was nearly gone, but her back was starting to bother her. She could hardly fit into any of her dresses any more. She had let most of them out the week before, but they were tight again already. At this rate, she and Arthur were going to have to announce her pregnancy within the week to nip the rumors in the bud before they started and spread.

Deciding to go visit the sleeping Morgana, Gwen headed off towards the physician's chambers. She had always thought of them as Gaius's chambers until about two weeks ago when Merlin had taken over as acting physician. In fact, Merlin's tonics tasted and worked better than those made by Gaius.

Halfway to her destination, Gwen's reason for going there changed. She had barely reached the courtyard when she began feeling an odd sensation in her lower abdomen. Worried that something was wrong with her babies, the queen picked up her pace.

Gwen knew Gaius was recovered, but seeing Merlin out cold on the narrow bunk scared her. When she finally got the story of what happened out of Gaius she calmed down. It was then that she again noticed the bubbly feeling in her belly.

After telling Gaius about the feeling, he began examining her. He had not been told what Merlin had said, so he announced she was pregnant and that she was quite large for only being 20 weeks. It was then that Gwen told him what Merlin had said two weeks prior. Gaius's eyebrows shot up. After a moment of staring, Gaius's eyes flashed a dim gold color.

Gwen blushed as Gaius let out a whispered curse. After looking into the womb, Gaius adjusted his earlier statements. She was small for a woman of 20 weeks carrying triplets. Merlin had be right to be worried by how small Gwen was and because of this, it was little wonder that the young man had been two weeks off on his prediction. After all, Merlin had very little practice with women this early in their pregnancies.

Gaius then gave her a list of foods to avoid until the babies were born and explained what she needed to do to get up to the size she needed to be to carry her children safely to term. He also told her that her weekly sword training with Merlin needed to stop until at least three months after delivery. He then listed a number of exercises that she could do during that time that would be beneficial to the growing infants. Finally, he gave her a small pot of a greasy looking substance for her to rub on her growing abdomen to limit the marks made when the skin stretches too quickly.

At this point, Gwen finally asked what that was she had been feeling in her stomach. Gaius smiled and simply replied "Your children."

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

It had only been a couple of hour since Arthur had put her to bed when Morgana woke to a sharp shooting pains in her back and abdomen. Tears pour down her face as curled in on herself and cried out in pain. She heard the door fling open and two people charge into the room. Even though she couldn't see through her tears, Morgana recognized them as Gaius and Guinevere, she long ago lost the right to call the woman Gwen.

She heard them asking her what was wrong, but she in too much pain to answer. As much as this hurt, she was glad it had happened. Merlin's collapse had pushed it to the back of her mind, but now she remembered and was thankful for what was going on inside her. She just hoped that Gaius wouldn't be able to stop or fix it before it was done. This was for the best.

She heard the queen cry out that there was blood on the bed. She felt them pin her down to keep her from hurting herself, but all she cared about was that it was dead. She was just glad that this had happened naturally and that she hadn't had to do it herself.

She was miscarrying the child Morgause had forced her to conceive with Mordred. The fact that Morgause had been the one doing it just made the entire thing worse. Mordred had been Morgause's son. Just remembering that fact caused Morgana to vomit. She had just lost the abomination that her sister had created and she was glad.

Morgana was glad that the fetus had not yet had a heartbeat. If it had, she would have considered it a baby and would have not been able to bring herself to destroy it. Luckily, nature had seen just how wrong the joining of an aunt and nephew was and had taken steps to see that the seed of the joining failed to take root.

She heard Guinevere offer sweet word of comfort for her 'loss' after Gaius's statement that there was nothing he could do to save the fetus. If she hadn't been in so much pain, Morgana would have laughed in relief. It was gone. The last part of her vile sister was gone and Morgana was finally free of the three of them.

Morgana pain began to fade after Gaius forced a potion into her mouth and Guinevere bathed her brow with a cool wet cloth while rubbing soothing circled on her tense and sore back. As said pain faded, Morgana's cries of pain changed to that of relief before she fell asleep due to Gaius's draught.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

Gaius had seen the look of relief and joy in Morgana's face when he announced that the fetus was lost. He also knew that Morgana had been under Morgause's control when the act had taken place. So in a way, Morgana has been raped by both Morgause and the father of the embryo. But Gaius also knew that Morgana would need time to get over both what had happened to her and the loss of the developing infant.

Gwen was very pale as she sat there are tried to comfort her old friend. Gaius knew that what had happened had severely shaken the queen in several ways. But it had mostly pointed out what could happen to her own babies. After dosing the young witch with a potent pain killer and sleeping tonic, Gaius sent the guard at his door, who had been stationed there by Sir Leon to help Gaius, to go get the king and young Branwen.

Branwen spent most of the day with the knights and the queen, but her early mornings and nights, for the last few days at least, has been spent with her aunt Audrey down in the kitchens. This was mostly because Merlin wanted her out from underfoot in the healing rooms. Not that the girl minded, she loved her new life.

Gaius felt bad when he saw the child walk into the room with a massive grin on her face. No one had told her father passing out from exhaustion and now she was going to have to deal with that as well as a scared queen and a traumatized witch. He knew Branwen could cope with all of this, he just wished she didn't have to.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

After training that mourning Leon had decided he needed to tell the king about Merlin's heritage before Geoffrey let it slip. He had planned on talking to Merlin about it first, but that wasn't really an option right now.

"Sire. Could I have a moment? It is about Merlin." Leon waited until the king had removed his armor and chainmail.

"Of course. Does this have anything to do with his abilities?" Arthur was unsure of Leon's view after Morgana showed up.

"No Sire, his lineage." The look on Arthur's face at that moment nearly broke Leon's calm, knightly facade.

They remained silent after that as they walked to the Arthur's chambers. As soon as the door shut, Arthur turned to Leon and said, "I know Merlin is a Dragonlord."

Leon attempted to imitate Gaius's eyebrow raising. "I assumed you knew that much. He did after all send the white dragon away at Camlann. I was referring to his father, Lord Balinor Wledig, nephew of Lady Elliw de Bois and his maternal grandmother, the Baroness Lady Alura estranged daughter of the late Sir Kole, Duke of Snowdonia."

Arthur nearly collapsed into the nearest chair. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Merlin was a noble and his second cousin when there was a knock on the door. Leon recognized him as the guard he left with Gaius.

The man had obviously ran all the way here, but as soon as he caught his breath, he relayed his message. "Sire, Gaius has requested your immediate presence. He also called for the child of his ward. He told me to tell you the queen needed you."

Fearing for both his wife and future children, Arthur dashed off. Once he was gone, Leon questioned the guard, but the man knew nothing. Dismissing the man, Leon rushed off to catch up to his king. He managed to gain on Arthur when he reached the stairs.

Despite his claims to the contrary, Arthur's wound was still paining him when he moved too much. Because of this he had to mount the steps at a much slower pace than he was used to. This allowed Leon to reach Gaius's chambers at the same time as the king. They opened the door and saw that Merlin was still asleep, but looked much better, but then their focus settled on the queen.

Gwen was sitting in Gaius's reading chair with a blanket draped over her shoulders. Gaius was talking softly to her while Branwen carefully used a rag to wash blood of the woman's trembling hands. The queen appeared to be in shock.

Noticing the two men in the doorway, the old physician mumbled something, gave Gwen's shoulder a gentle squeeze, and walked over to the blondes. "We had best speak outside." was all Gaius said and he ushered them back through the door.

"Gaius what is going on? Is Guinevere alright? Where did the blood come from?" Arthur had been worried when the guard told him the message, but after seeing the love of his life staring blankly ahead like that with blood covered hands, he was downright scared.

"She came to me about an hour ago after feeling the babies moving. While we were discussing that, Morgana woke up screaming in pain. She had been with child when she came here, but a short while ago she miscarried. She is asleep now, but this shook Guinevere badly. She needs you, Sire. Take her to your room and try to get her to sleep." Gaius's voice was full of sadness.

Leon's heart was in his mouth. "How is Morgana?" Morgana had gotten pregnant while under her sister's control. Morgana had been forced to conceive with someone against her will.

Gaius sighed. "She seemed happy, despite her pain, when I told her there was nothing I could do. The pain draught I gave her allowed her to fall into a deep and dreamless sleep. I won't know much more until she wakes. As for physically, she is still very weak. There may be more issues, but not of them should pose much of a problem. Branwen has already stopped the bleeding, so only time will tell."

Arthur nodded and reentered the room while Leon stayed outside with Gaius. "Do you know how long she had been expecting?"

The old man shook his head. "Not long, Branwen had not noticed the second life."

Leon gave a questioning look.

Taking a deep breath, Gaius explained. "From what I have gathered, Branwen came feel a baby's presence in the womb as soon as its heart begins to beat. Since she did not feel Morgana's baby, Morgana could not even have been carrying for two months."

"Did Merlin know? He had been hovering over her since he removed Morgause." Leon didn't really expect an answer but he got one.

"Yes I knew." Came Merlin's sad and sleepy voice.

Turning, the two men saw Merlin hugging Branwen and holding the door open for Arthur to lead a dazed Gwen out. Once the royals were out of sight, Merlin lead the group back into the chamber and sat down at the table and pulled Branwen onto his lap.

"Morgause had forced Morgana to conceive Mordred's child during the full moon. That was three days before they attacked Stowell. I found this out when the witch and I fought over my body. Mordred was her son and by having Morgana bare his child, she was ensuring her line would continue. Both Mordred and Morgause poured massive amounts of magic into that act, and now, all of that magic will be floating throughout Morgana's systems. I need to take her to Aithusa." Merlin's eyes had been locked onto the table, but it was clear that he was replaying the moment over in his mind.

Leon was about to ask how the dragon could help when Gaius started speaking. "Does she know how to purge other's power like that? And how are you planning on sneaking Morgana out of the castle in her condition?"

"Yes she does, Kilgharrah gave her the spell in case I failed to remove Morgause. It would likely have killed Morgana then, but now it just loose power, not a soul fighting to stay. And I do not have to get her out of the castle. Aithusa is waiting for us down in Kilgharrah's old cave." Branwen's head popped up when he said this.

"Is she white and have a twisted back?" She asked quietly.

Looking down at his daughter in confusion, Merlin nodded.

"Good. The lady with the three voices told me how to help her and how to heal the great gold one." She seemed quite pleased with herself.

"And how may I ask, young lady?" There was an odd ring to Merlin's voice when he spoke.

"Do you still have the shell of her egg?" she asked avoiding his question.

"Yes I do, but isn't Aithusa a he? I distinctly remember Kilgharrah calling Aithusa a he." Merlin claimed.

"Taddy, Dragons are almost always boys. How do you not know that? Girl dragons are really rare. Killiegraw probably just assumed the baby was a boy, because the lady told me the white one is a girl." Branwen rolled her eyes at her father's ignorance.

Merlin gave her an incredulous look. "How do you know that most dragons are boys? And his name is said like this, Kill-ghar-rah, not Killiegraw..."

"The druids told me. We need the egg shells, the king's sword, a weird staff with a blue stone in the top and has stuff written on it, and a dragonlord, which is you."

"Wait. Why do we need Excalibur?" Merlin's eyebrows scrunched together in thought.

She turned and looked into her father's face. "She said it had a warlock's life inside it as well as dragon magic."

Merlin's eyes went wide. "Rejuvenation…" was said in voice no louder than a whispered.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

Leon was disgusted at how easy it was for the group of them to sneak through the castle carrying a sleeping woman, a magical staff, and a pile of dragon eggshells down to the cavern. The men had passed by the alcove the bunch of them were hiding in, but only barely looked in. The fact that Merlin was surprised at how thorough the guards were being made the knight feel sick. Leon made a mental note to retrain the night guards himself when this was all over.

Once they reached the cavern, Merlin led them down into the depth a ways before ushering them into a side chamber. Leon stopped cold when he saw the room had been furnished with a bed and desk. In the corner, there was a month's worth of dried meats and vegetables as well as medical and cooking supplies.

Merlin must have noticed the knight's abrupt halt and wandering gaze because the next thing the Leon knew, Merlin was beside him. "I knew that there was a chance that if Arthur found out about my magic that he would banish me. Well, there was no way I was going to leave him unprotected, so I set this up. I could live here indefinitely."

Merlin then gently took Morgana from the blonde's arms and positioned her comfortably on the bed. He then looked up towards the knight with apologetic face. Leon, confused, turned to see the twisted form of the hope of the dragon race, Aithusa.

Leon had seen the dragon before, but now he actually looked at her. She was barely the size of a horse, her body was warped and mutilated. There was signs of poorly set bones, missing scales, and hacked off horns. Looking at the white beast, Leon saw the very nature of the great purge hanging over her. The sight caused tears to run freely down the usually stoic man's face.

The wetness in his eyes blurred his vision, but his ears caught everything that was said.

"Aithusa? This is Leon and Branwen. I freed Morgana, but there is still foreign magic inside her from a baby that died. Mordred's baby." Merlin's voice came from right beside him, nearly causing him to jump.

Then Branwen's voice came from the direction of the bed. "She says that she can remove the magics, but that is all she can do until she feeds and rests."

Merlin gasped. "She can speak to you?" His voice was full of hope and awe.

"It is like speaking in Grandfather's head. She isn't talking, but I can still hear what she wants to say. She says that the warrior should sit before he falls." As that was being said, Branwen's voice got louder as she walked towards him.

Leon felt Merlin and Branwen lead him to the only chair in the room. He was paralyzed in his shame. He had felt like he had that day he woke up to find out he had magic, only this time, he saw the consequences of his action and knew how much it tied into life of his friend.

Yet again, Leon retched. Leon heard it pour into something metallic. To his side he heard Merlin mumble "Good thing I won't be needing this pot for cooking."

Suddenly, the knight felt small hands on his face wiping away the tears. "Uncle Leon? It is alright. You didn't know and nobody is blaming you. Even Aithusa understands. It is alright… Go to sleep, it will be better when you wake up."

Leon felt a warmth surround him as he laid his weary head to rest on his arms on top of the desk. As he started to fall into slumber, he heard a new and strange voice say "We forgive you."

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

After making sure the upset man was sleeping dreamlessly for the first time in days, Aithusa turned her attention to the others in the room. Her father was tired, but determined, the small one was concerned about those around her, yet she had a hopeful aura about her. And then there was her mistress.

She looked like she was just asleep on the surface, but underneath that, Aithusa could see the battle raging. The war was between a dark red, a deep midnight sky purple, and a light leaf green. And if this continued like this, the pale one would lose.

Knowing that the one with the color of new leave was her mistress, Aithusa lent her power to the battle. Soon she vanquished the purple and destroyed most of the red, but her strength was waning. She used too much power helping the weeping blond man and now she didn't have enough to finish what she started.

Aithusa nearly lost her focus when two sets of hands touched her body, but the sudden flow of energy and power those hand gave her relaxed and grounded her. Only her father and those of dragon blood could share their power with her like this so Aithusa pressed on and defeated the bloody colored magic.

Pulling what was left of her strength back from the lady's sleeping body, Aithusa nearly fell over. She hadn't been this weak since those two years in that pit. But unlike that time, she felt safe here. She had her mistress, father and sister, and a nice man who cried about hurting those with magic.

She turned to see her father put the little one in the bed with the lady. Even though it was clear he was exhausted, he didn't stop and rest. Instead, he pulled a side of dried venison from the supplies and handed it to her so she wouldn't have to go out and hunt when she was so tired.

She purred her thanks before taking a huge bite out of the meat. It was salty, but right now she was too hungry to care. She looked up from her meal and watched the man that hatched her work.

He pulled blankets from a pile of human stuff in a crevasse near the entry and covered the females first before getting a rolled up mat and spreading it on the floor near the sad man. He then carefully moved the man from the seat to the mat and covered him with a blanket. He then took the pot of retch and left the room.

Aithusa had finished her food and was about to seek some much needed water when father returned with the pot cleaned and full of water just for her! She had never been treated like this before. Her mistress had been nice, but father was helping her do things she could do herself.

She was sure he knew she could have hunted her own food and found clean water to drink, but he helped her because he cared about her and knew she was tired. Aithusa thought that must be what a father is, someone who helps and takes care of you even when they are tired.

Aithusa liked this new feeling, but she wanted to help him to. She let out a low croon to get his attention before laying down and gesturing for him to join her. It took a moment before he understood what she wanted and when he got close, she used one of her wings to pull him down to her side while sending him a mental picture of him sleeping beside her.

She was pleased when he laughed and thanked her. Once he was seated beside her, she began purring a low rumble that always soothed the lady when she was fighting sleep and soon father was asleep against her gently covered with a bent wing. Happy, Aithusa too was soon asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Leon was the first to wake. He hadn't really thought about it before, but now he was curious. Where was the light coming from? They are deep underground, there are no torches, lanterns, or candles, all the magic users are asleep and too tired to be casting a spell. So how on earth is there light enough to see across the chamber?

He was so caught up in trying to understand the lighting that he didn't even notice that he had been sleeping on a bed roll until he sat up. Looking down at the blanket and sleeping mat, Leon smiled. He had slept without a nightmare waking him every bell and felt fresher than he had in years. 'Bless Merlin' Leon thought as he got up to check on everyone.

Morgana and Branwen were snuggled up together under their blanket with slight smiles on their faces. Leon hadn't seen that smile of Morgana's in so long that it nearly broke him. She had been a prisoner for over seven years and they never knew. And now she was finally completely free.

Needing to focus on other thoughts, Leon turned from the bed to look for Merlin. It took the knight a lot longer to notice the tuff of black hair poking out from under the leathery wing of the white dragon then he really cared to admit. Noting the steady rise and fall of the wing, Leon concluded that Merlin was sleeping peacefully. Smiling and not having the heart to wake the pair, Leon decided to get breakfast going.

During that time, Leon had finally figured out where the light was coming from. There was a slow moving river of molten rock flowing through the bottom of the cave. Leon didn't really understand how the lava hadn't harmed Camelot. He also didn't understand how the side chamber they had been sleeping in was so cool when the cavern was rather warm, but he planned on asking Gaius later.

Half an hour later, Leon gave up on finding a way to cook the salted pork he had found amongst Merlin's stores. He was at a loss. He couldn't start a fire in a cave with no wood and he couldn't get the meat close enough to the melted rock to cook it without baking himself. He has been tempted to use the fishing pole in the corner, but he figured the heat would burn the cord long before the pork was thoroughly cooked.

So the knight just sat there, glaring at the meat that had defeated him. He hadn't been doing that long when he felt eyes fall on him. Turning, Leon saw the dragon looking at him with what he could only describe as amusement.

"You would happen to know how I can cook this in a cave with no wood would you?" He asked her quietly.

He was more than a little surprised when she nodded to him.

"How?" He could hardly believe he was talking to a dragon.

After giving him a humorous snort she gestured him over. Once he was beside her she lifted her wing off of Merlin and pointed her nose at the sleeping man and then the empty bed roll. Understanding her request, Leon gently moved Merlin to the bed roll and covered him.

When he turned back around, Aithusa had pushed a pile of loose rocks together in the middle of the floor. She nodded at her work before breathing on the stones with her flaming breath. Then, just as quickly as she had started, she stopped, leaving a mound of glowing rocks. She then gave him a mock bow by gesturing to the cooking 'fire' with her wing as she lowered her head giving what sounded like a chuckle in the process.

Leon pulled himself out of his stunned daze and nodded his thanks before he set himself to preparing a meal for the entire party. After a few minutes, the room was filled with wonderful smell of roast pork. The rest of the group seemed to wake at once when the smell of roasted meat reached them.

Merlin and Branwen got to their feet shakily, but Morgana didn't seem to have the strength to anything more than prop herself up so she could see what was going on. Noticing this, Leon passed the cooking off to Merlin before gathering Morgana and carrying her over to where Aithusa was lying.

When witch's eyes met those of the dragon, Aithusa let out a happy sounding series of chirps that almost sounded like 'Morgana'. The tired woman busted into a teary laugh.

"It is really me Aithusa. I am free!" She threw her arms around the creature's pale neck.

"She asked me to tell you that she is very happy to meet the real you." Morgana's head shot up. On the other side of the dragon stood a young female version of Merlin that the witch knew had to be his daughter.

"You must be Branwen Alura. You must have some of your father's talent if you can hear Aithusa's thoughts." Morgana replied sending the girl a small smile.

The girl gave her a massive grin. "I am good at the magics Taddy is bad at. Mindspeech, healing, water and ice spells, things like that."

"Thank you Branwen, now she knows even more of my shortcomings…" came Merlin's tired voice from over where the food was cooking.

They looked at the man with worry.

"Maybe you should go back to sleep after you eat. You all look like you barely survived a plague. Besides, you, Merlin, and you, Athus, will need your strength to finally destroy Morgause." Leon said cautiously.

"Her name is Aithusa, and I think you are right. I thought she said I had complete control of my body and magic, but I guess I pushed myself too far too fast."

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Both Merlin and Morgana fell asleep before they finished their food, but that was hardly surprising after what they had been through the last few days.

Leon easily moved Morgana from the floor beside the dragon to the bed, but as he lifted Merlin, Branwen and Aithusa began to laugh.

"Alright, what is so funny that it has a dragon crying with mirth?" Leon asked in a mock exasperated voice.

Through her breathless laughing, Branwen managed to tell him. "Aithusa said you should put him in the bed with Miss Morgana because they love each other but are too stubborn to tell each other unless we force them, by putting them in the same bed."

Leon blinked at the child's odd way of explaining before it clicked in his mind, causing him to laugh as well. But unlike the girls, he managed not to be too loud about it. He then gave them a mischievous grin before settling Merlin back to back with Morgana in the cot.

The trio was slightly worried when both of the bed's occupants began squirming and moving. But when the two settled down again, the three were barely containing themselves. Morgana was now nestled against Merlin's chest while hugging his arms to her own chest.

Grinning madly, Leon led the two youngsters out into the main chamber. Once they were a decent distance away, they all broke down laughing. In fact, Leon was laughing so hard that he missed Branwen leave and come back with an empty vial and fill it with Aithusa's happy tears. But that was her secret, one that she hoped would help in the near future.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Morgana couldn't remember the last time she had felt this safe. She knew it was before she had come to live in Camelot, but that was a lifetime ago. Right now she was happy, safe, and in love.

She knew whose arms were around her long before she opened her eyes. There was only one person who smelt of herbs, polish, and sweat. She had loved the scent before she had ever fallen for the man. The part she was unclear about was how they ended up asleep in each other's arms.

She had seen Merlin fall asleep eating several minute before she too succumbed to her fatigue. So, how did the two of them end up in this situation? Surely Leo… Oh. That makes sense.

Leon likely knew about their feelings for each other and thought that they hadn't told of how we loved each other. But Merlin had already professed his love for her. She had mentioned that she had loved him back before Morgause had taken her over, but she had never confirmed that she still loved him.

So, she had to admit, Leon had a point and at least he took the girls out of the room to make the 'wake-up' less awkward. Or, at least she hoped so. Merlin calling her his dead wife's name would be heart breaking, him jumping out of the bed and apologizing would be weird, and him refusing to look her in the eye and treating her like the lady Morgana of old would nearly kill her. She just hoped there was a third option that she was overlooking.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Merlin realized what had happened as soon as he noticed that the woman in his arms was not his daughter.

'Haha, very funny Leon. Hope you had your laughs. Not very noble to force to two people in a bed together. That is Gwaine's area of expertise' Merlin thought to himself as he tried to figure out a way to untangle himself from Morgana while still being a gentlemen about it.

What Merlin didn't realize was that he projected those thoughts to the woman beside him. Or at least he didn't until she started laughing. That laugh both warmed his heart and caused him to blush.

"Sorry about that… I do not usually project my thoughts…" There was a feeling behind those words that made Morgana realize how little she knew about the man she loved.

Then it clicked. "You used to share your thoughts with your wife didn't you?" She asked softly as she turned to face him.

"Yeah… and Freya…"

Morgana felt somewhat jealous for a moment, but the look of pure sadness on Merlin's face pushed that feeling away.

"Who was Freya?" She asked softly.

Merlin took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Do you remember how I said that I had loved you and that I had moments where I fell for another?"

She nodded slowly.

Merlin spent the next hour telling her everything, about Freya being a cursed druid, his plans of running away with her, her death at Arthur's hand, and her help in retrieving Excalibur from Lake Avalon. He ended by telling Morgana that he felt he needed to take her to meet Freya.

Morgana was overwhelmed by the whole thing. Merlin had loved the girl only to lose her, and now he wanted the two of them to meet?!

Knowing that she would regret not meeting the Lady of the Lake, Morgana opened her mouth to air her agreeance only to be stopped by a sharp pain in her abdomen. The pain dulled all of her senses, keeping her from hearing, seeing, or feeling Merlin right in front of her. When the pain did fade, the first thing she noticed was Merlin cursing at himself profusely as he gently stroked her hair and rubbed her back.

Once the pain dimmed enough that she was no longer curled in on herself, Merlin left her side for a moment only to return moments later with a draught. She wasn't sure what it was for, but she trusted Merlin enough to down it without thought. The pain subsided and she felt a warm feeling in stomach.

"What was that?" She asked in awe.

"It was a pain potion laced with a healing spell to help your body reabsorb the fetus and level out your hormones." Morgana understood very little of what he said, but what she did make sense of she was thankful for.

She barely got her thanks out before she fell back to sleep.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

The rest of the day was spent having fun or sleeping and Leon slept the least of the group. After the fun of forcing Merlin and Morgana together, he got to watch a very young dragon go swimming in the river of lava, Branwen cast a spell that make lava, rocks, and dust act out any story told, and Leon himself got to tell stories that he had kept to himself since the beginning of the Great Purge.

Leon had grown up having an aunt and several second cousins who had small bits of magic. In hindsight, Leon realized that that was likely where his own magic had come from, though the Cup of Life may have strengthened it, but that was unimportant right now. Right now he was sharing stories of people the king had ordered to be forgotten.

Leon told the girls everything he remembered about the seven years before the purge, he talk about his family, the kingdom, and the even the late queen of Camelot. After Aithusa fell asleep, he told Branwen about the Queen's side of the family and how she had been the great granddaughter of a dragonlord. He told all about her ancestors, while keeping their connection to her a secret.

Leon hadn't felt this free in so long. He hadn't thought about how much he had hidden in his heart because of the ban on magic. He hadn't even known he had been so trapped until he had been set free. Because of this, the stony exterior that he had always kept up melted away like the magma below them.

Leon was happier than he had been since the day his little sister had been born. He was so happy if fact, that he asked Branwen to teach him some small and useful spells. By the time Aithusa, Merlin, and Morgana were ready to deal with Morgause, Leon had learned to create a small flame in his hand and how to call an object to him.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

It was nearly midnight when they were finally ready to end Morgause's evil. Morgana needed to see it happen if she was ever going to have closure. That is why they hadn't done this earlier. Merlin had decided to wait until Morgana was strong enough to witness the event before he and Aithusa destroyed the crystalline form of the blonde witch's soul.

Merlin wasn't sure why, but Aithusa had told him that she wanted him to help her destroy the gem, though not with his magic, but with the dragon fire that was deep in his very soul. Merlin had felt the fire form when Balinor had died, but he had put down to grief. He had felt each time he used his dragonlord powers and had believed it to be the thought of his father that had caused it. But Aithusa assured him that it was the brother soul to all dragons, it was what made him their kin. It was that fire that Aithusa wanted him to use to help he kill the one who had imprisoned the one they loved.

And now it was time. Merlin carefully placed the dark orb on a stalagmite out in the main cavern within sight of where Morgana sitting. He and Aithusa then stood on either side of it making sure the sphere was clearly visible. Leon and Branwen stood beside Morgana as witnesses. As Aithusa was taking her place, her tail knocked into a stone pillar, causing a shower of small rock pieces to shower down around her. And one of those shards scratched the palantir, allowing Morgause to speak.

"The Goddess will smite you for this Emrys! I am her High Priestess and you have no right to do this! You have turned against your own kind, and for that you will be punished! I forge the way of the Goddess and none can oppose me and triumph!"

At this Branwen stepped forward, eyes blazing with pale light. "You fell from my grace the day you sacrificed your mother to gain all of her knowledge. It was you who turned on your own kind and your own family. You claim to do my will, but it is naught but your own! Emrys has my support and blessing it this. Good bye my twisted child. May the next world give you peace."

With a wave of her hand, the scratch disappeared cutting of the witches mad screeches. The Goddess in the child's body turned to Merlin.

"Continue Emrys, she no longer has a place in this world." She then turned and walked back to the spot she had been standing earlier.

Once she was back where she had been standing earlier, the warlock nodded to Aithusa. They then opened their mouth and flames poured out. Orange, red, and yellow flames came from the dragon's and purple, blue, and green from her lord's. The flames mixed and swirled into a funnel of flames in every color possible. As they continued, the top of the funnel fold down over top of itself as it narrowed and grew brighter.

The funnel now touched the floor of the cave and began to change its shape. The fire grew so bright that Morgana and Leon were forced to shield their eye. The entire chamber was lit and hummed with magic older than mankind.

As the light dimmed, the pair uncovered their eyes and saw the flames in the shape of a woman with her face raised and arms reaching up like a child begging to be held. Slowly the flames died, but the feminine figure remained. Once the fire gone, the group was what remained.

Where the stalagmite had been was now a life sized marble statue that looked like Morgause crying and reaching out for comfort. Upon looking closer, one could see the statue was clothed in a list of names. Names of all those who had died because of the witch. Cenred, Vivienne, Tyr, Uther, Elyan, Lancelot, Mordred, and thousands of other names were etched onto her form in the shape of that red dress she had been so fond of during her years with the King of Essetir.

The statue was beautiful and heart wrenchingly sad. Like this, Morgause looked like a child who didn't understand what they had done wrong.

"I am sorry my child. I should have guided you better, shown you the correct path. But there is naught I can do now. May this sculpture stand as a remembrance of those who lost their way in life. Let it remind us that evil is created by neglect, and is banished with love."

As these tri-voiced words concluded, the light faded from the child's eyes. Branwen would have fallen, but Leon managed to catch and lower her down. She was carefully settled down beside Morgana with her head resting on the woman's lap.


	22. Chapter 22

With Merlin and Aithusa's tired help, Leon managed to get the trope back up into the castle and to bed. The guards were nowhere to be seen, Leon had been worried until Merlin explained that this was the shift change. The knight made a mental note to deal with the lax security after all of this mess was dealt with.

They all ended up sleeping in the Physician chambers that night. It was fortunate that Gaius had decided to sleep in the room he had been given during his illness, otherwise they would not have all fit. Morgana, Branwen, and Aithusa took Merlin's room, while Merlin and Leon took the beds down in the main chamber.

They slept like the dead until nearly midday. Leon woke first to the sight of a highly amused Gwaine and Percival drawing on Merlin's face and hands with ink they had taken from the nearby bench. The knight subtly checked his own hands to find that he too had swirls and patterns draw on his exposed skin.

Feeling the need to get revenge for the doodles on his hands and likely his face as well, Leon reached out toward the inkwell in Gwaine's hand and quietly called out "Strangath!" The well was ripped out of the rouge's hand and into Leon's.

"Care to explain yourselves?" Leon enjoyed the look of shock on the pair's faces as he waved the jar of ink for them to see.

"I.. We… You! How?!" Leon positively beamed at Gwaine's inability to form a complete sentence.

"Branwen…" at the shocked whisper, both long haired lights turned to their quiet brother-in-arms.

"She taught you a spell, but told me no." There was a slight look of betrayal in Percival's eyes.

"What did you ask her? All I did was ask her if there were any easy and useful spell I might be able to do. She showed me how to start a fire and to summon something to me. The fire so I would never freeze or lack the means to cook and the summoning so I could call my sword back to me if it was knocked away." Leon was curious why the child had taught him, but denied the gentle giant.

Leon missed what Percival mumbled, but Gwaine heard it a laughed softly. "Only you, mate, would ask her to help you prank her father!"

Leon smiled. "Well that explains things, but you two never did answer my question. What are you doing in here, drawing on sleeping men?"

Percival had the decency to look slightly guilty, but Gwaine just grinned.

"I think I can answer that Sir Leon." The lead knight had been glaring so hard at the pair that he missed Gaius slipping into the room.

"The two of them were with the king when I announced that you all had returned at some point during the night and were sleeping deeply. These two asked where you and Merlin were. I should have suspected they would do this when I said the two of you were dead asleep in my chambers."

Leon nodded his understanding. "But that does not explain their use of ink." He countered.

"That is true, my lord. But if you had seen just how miserable they were dealing with a very worried king for the last few days, this situation would be easily understood." was Gaius's reply.

"I understand that Gaius. What I don't understand is why they decided ink was the best prank idea." Leon then turned back to the knights in question. "So, why the ink?"

Gwaine rubbed the back of his neck and refused to meet Leon's eyes. "Well, we know that Merlin can change his own body, so we decided to see if he could do it with marks placed on his skin and is not part of himself…"

Leon lifted an eyebrow. "That explains Merlin, but why draw on me?"

"Wanted to see how easily anyone could get it off with a spell…" Percival muttered.

Before anyone count comment, the door to Merlin's room opened and Branwen lead a weak and wobbly Morgana down the steps. Neither girl had looked at the men in the room on the way down, so they were a bit shocked at the pattern drawn all over Merlin and Leon's faces.

Morgana and Branwen shared a look before they decided to ignore the men. They walked to the table, then Merlin's daughter went to get them some food from her aunt in the kitchens.

Once Branwen was gone, Morgana turned around and let into the devious duo. "Why in the five kingdoms did you do this?" She pointed to something on Leon's temple, which somewhat worried the man.

"You are lucky that Bran didn't understand it, because if she had, I would make your lives a living hell! Do you know what that poor child has been through? She lost her mother before she was born. She lived in fear of discovery of both her magic and her heritage. She got to see her father only a handful of times a year, and he was usually sick, injured, or desperately in need of comfort, so he didn't give her nearly the amount of loving and affection she deserved. Then the woman who has been a mother to her died. She ran off thinking it was her fault and was captured by the SARRUM! She was FLOGGED! THAT CHILD NEEDS LOVE AND NOT THIS!"

At the end of that rant she raised her hands towards Leon and Merlin and cast a spell that pulled the ink off of their skin and she then placed it back in the inkpot. She tried to storm off to Merlin's room, but the spell combined with her previous maladies caused her stumble. She would have fallen if Leon hadn't caught her.

Leon saw just how upset Morgana really was when he saw the tears she was holding back. After sending a quick glare at the pair, Leon led her back to her bed. As soon as the door shut behind them, Morgana started weeping.

Leon hugged her and tried to comfort her, but he was not entirely sure what all was upsetting her. After several minutes, she calmed down and began to apologize.

"There is no need to apologize, Morgana. You obviously needed this, so I am happy to give it." After a short pause, the blonde asked the question that had been bothering him. "How did you know that stuff about Branwen?"

Morgana sniffled, "She told me after Aithusa told her what happened to us in the Sarrum's pits. During those times, Morgause would retreat into the background and force me to live the nightmares. Branwen Alura and I have much in common.

Neither of us knew our mothers. We both rarely saw our fathers, but when we did, it was the happiest times despite the fact they were often injured. At ten, we both lost the parent figure we relied on the most. And we were both held and tortured by the Sarrum."

She stopped and seemed to sink into herself for a moment. "No one should have to go through that. Especially not her. Oh Leon! She is what I was back then! She is everything I lost!"

She cried in his shoulder until Branwen came back with the food. The child barely put down the food before Morgana pulled her into a tight hug. Knowing he was no longer needed, Leon slipped out of the small room.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙ *. =======)=o

The next few days were hectic. Morgana and Guinevere spent a great deal of time comforting each other like they had done as children, planned the feast that was to follow the announcement of the royal pregnancy, discussing wet nurses so that Gwen could still complete her duties without worrying about the infants too much, and gossiping about the men in their lives.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Gwen still had her queenly duties to deal with on top of changing aspects of her life she had never even really thought about in order to keep herself and the babies as healthy as possible.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Morgana was still healing. Mentally and physically. On top of spending a large part of her time with the queen, the witch also had deep conversations with Merlin, Leon and Gaius, as well as play dates with Branwen and Aithusa down by the lava pools below the city.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Arthur was working on repealing the ban on magic and replacing it with laws against darker magics. He was also trying to get used to his newest replacement manservant, even though he had had the man for almost a month. He still had to be careful of the fresh scar on his side, mainly due to the extreme pain if he pulled it too much. He also was in an argument with his wife over exercise and food during her pregnancy.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Leon was leading the knight training, the retaining of the palace guards, as well as training secretly with Merlin most evenings. During his spare time, he consulted with Lord Geoffrey about the heir situation in the De Bois estate if Merlin and Branwen's lineage came to light or with the girls learning new spells.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Percival spent most of his time has wasn't training or pranking Gwaine with Branwen in the forest collecting herb and telling stories about their pasts. Percival had been super protective of the child after Morgana's rant, and had been the girl's shoulder to cry on as she explained what had happened leading up to her disappearance until she helped him save Gwaine.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Gwaine had been ashamed of himself before Morgana had yelled at him, but now he was beside himself. He owed his life to that little raven. He was still pranking, but he only did it because he knew how much of a stress reliever is was for Percival. On top of that, Gwaine had been sober since a few days after he could move about by himself.

He has gone down to the kitchens to get drunk enough to dull his pain without the vile flavor of Gaius's potions. It turned out that the drink had had the opposite effect. Audrey had found him writhing in pain in the cellar the next morning. Since then, the knight had to avoid alcohol and a number of other things that made his neck act up while trying to keep the fact from his friends. Not that he succeeded.

Audrey had given him away to Gaius during one of her visits with Merlin. The man had examined him and explained just how much damage the venom had done to his body. There was a chance that all of this was temporary, but those chances were slim to none. Later Merlin had checked his neck and suggested a series of stretches to help with the healing and asked him if he had tried milk.

Strangely enough, the milk had done wonders. The pain lessened, the muscles relaxed, and flavor wasn't bad. Goat's milk, despite the smell, was tasty and worked even better than that of the cows. Merlin had smiled when Gwaine thanked him for the milk idea, but the warlock explained that it was Audrey's pain remedy, not his.

That revelation lead to a blossoming mother/son-like friendship between the knight and the cook. The two took to telling each other stories about the hidden parts of their lives. Gwaine told her about his noble blood and his broken relationship with his sister and his now deceased mother. Audrey told him about growing up in a mostly druidic village and about Merlin's tie to her family.

Somehow, the head of the kitchen talked the knight into sending his sister the money has was saving by giving up alcohol and writing her. It turned out that she had recently lost her husband to illness and she was carrying his third child while trying to feed her two daughters. Gwaine ended up talking her into moving closer to Camelot in Ealdor in Will's mother's old house that now belonged to Audrey, so that he could send her money and get to know his nieces.

Both Gwaine and Audrey wrote Hunith to let her know that the old house was soon to have a new owner. Hunith then managed to get the house in working order just in time for knight to arrive with his sister and nieces in tow. Hunith, it turned out, had not known of Branwen's discovery nor Merlin's return of magic. The woman was so mad at her son that she returned to Camelot with Gwaine.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Merlin was pushing himself to exhaustion daily. He was helping Arthur with the new magical laws and penning his announcement speech about Gwen's pregnancy. He was also helping Gaius out as a physician, training with Leon, helping Gwaine with his neck and sister, helping Morgana regain her health mentally and physically, and organizing the druids and magic users into rebuilding the Isle of the Blessed. On top of that he was still dealing with his increased magic, Branwen's ordeal, and researching ways to heal Aithusa and rejuvenate Kilgharrah without draining his daughter or pushing himself too far.

So when his mother showed up, he lost it. He unconsciously transported himself to Arthur's unused antechamber before passing out. It took hours and a massive manhunt before they found him. Knowing how stressed and tired he was, their left him in the room after moving him from the floor to the cot. He slept the day away and woke to hear Gaius and Arthur explaining why no one had informed his mother about everything that had happened.

When he heard Arthur start to tell Hunith about their work on repealing the laws against magic, Merlin snuck out of the side chamber to see his mother's face. He positively beamed when he saw her rush forward and wrap her arms around the king in a tight hug. Tears came to his eyes as he watched his mother thank Arthur as her own tears of joy ran down her face.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

The next day was great. The announcement had gone well, and the people were overjoyed at the news and the fact that the feast was open to all, noble and peasant alike. Hunith had taken over helping Gaius and Branwen and had done wonders with Morgana, and Merlin had finally gotten a full night's sleep.

It was during that night that Merlin's mind finally put pieces together to answer all of warlock's questions of how to help the dragons. Little things that people had said over the years came together with his recent research to allow him figure out exactly how to accomplish his task with the resources available to him.

So that night while everyone was at the feast, Merlin explained his plan to Percival and Gwaine. Gwaine was to cover for them while he and Percival rode out to Kilgharrah's cave. The plan was for Merlin to help the Great Dragon and then for Percival to get Merlin home if it drained him too much.

Merlin packed half of Aithusa's egg's shell, the Sidhe staff, Excalibur, and a number of herbs and snuck off to the stables where Percival had saddled two horses and grabbed two sets of patrol rations and bedrolls. They reached the base of the cliff shortly before midnight. After making sure the horses would be safe tethered in a thicket, they began the hike to Kilgharrah's lair.

Both men collapsed gasping at the mouth of the cave two hours later. Once they finally caught their breath, they pushed on. Merlin picked up and lit a torch he had left just inside the cave during his last visit to lead their way. When they reached the cavern where the dragon sleeps, they stopped dead.

Kilgharrah was curled up tightly in the corner. His scales had lost their golden hue, making him look deathly ill. And echoing through the chamber was thick wet breathing.

"Kilgharrah?" Merlin called out hesitantly as he raced to the beast's side.

"Young Warlock? I feel odd…" The dragon's voice was weak and confused.

"What happened to you, old friend?" Merlin's voice was thick with concern.

"I am cold…" was the only reply, but because of it, Merlin knew he didn't have much time. Kilgharrah was dying.

Merlin rushed back to his pack and set to work as quickly as he could.

Percival watched as Merlin crushed and ground various herbs into a fine powder before pulling out several larger pieces of what appeared to be a pale blue egg. Merlin blew a thin stream of white fire on the chunks, which deepened the color from sky blue to dark sapphire. Once that was done, the quiet knight watched as the slender man determinedly pounded the sapphire shards with a stark black stone that left pieces of itself in the growing pile of coarse blue powder.

Merlin barely gathered up the blue and black mixture when the sick dragon let out a series of deep, hacking wet coughs. Merlin's eyes were shiny from unshed tears. Speaking in a magical language the knight had never heard before, Merlin threw the cerulean sand into the air.

Percival continued to grow more and more amazed as he watched his thin friend. When the grains left the man's hands, they floated over to the ancient beast and settled evenly onto itself the creature's dust-colored hide. Percival's attention was drawn away from the azure dusted scales when Merlin began to chant.

The wizard was pointing the sword Arthur pulled from the stone and the odd staff, with their tips touching, directly at the dragon's head. Both objects began to glow, a glow that the drifted over to the hunched form. The glow seemed to ignite the powder. Low burning purplish-pink flames engulfed the mighty beast as Merlin's voice grew louder and more guttural.

Merlin's words now a deep roar, caused the fire to shift color to a pale orange and increase greatly in brightness. The wet noise was replaced with deep even breaths as the light grew and the volume of the incantation increased. Soon, a second voice joined the chant, causing the fire shifted to white and then a rich red.

Percival just stood there in the cavern's entrance, watching in awe. He was witnessing the de-aging process of dragon who was over a thousand years old. The rough scales, smoothed and shifted from a dull greyish-brown to a bright rye-gold. The eyes were the only thing the knight did not notice change during this entire process. The new scale color now matched those anciently wise eyes, which were filled with love and joy as the flames subsided.

Merlin lowered the two weapons and fell to his knees. When he looked up at his golden soul-kin, a massive grin spread across face before his eyes rolled back in his heads. Percival barely got to Merlin before his head could hit the stone floor.

"He did it… The young warlock helped me regain all that which was lost to me through the movement of the heavens…" Percival looked up to see the wide eyed look of awe the dragon gazed at the man in his arms with.

He hadn't really thought about the fact that the dragon could speak, despite the second voice in the chant, so it took a moment for him to process what it - no, 'he'- said.

The prankster in the large knight seemed to take over as he spoke to the sentient lizard. "The altruistic characteristics of this thaumaturge are limitless in reference to his companions."

The dragon seemed to raise its brow region as it studied him. "He always described you as thoughtful and deep, I see he was right. That was a line befitting any dragon, well done."


	23. Chapter 23

Percival and Kilgharrah talked the rest of the night and only stopped when dawn's light began to show. Kilgharrah had explained that Merlin had merged three distinctly different kinds of magic together and used most of his soul fire in the process of saving his life. Merlin had used more power than should have been physically possible for any creature of magic to use at one time. In fact, The old dragon explained to the knight that only Emrys had that much power and could channel without killing himself. He was the very embodiment of Magic.

"Magic is not like a weapon is it? Weapons only harm, but whether the harm is done for protection or malice is up to its user. Magic doesn't seem to be like that." Percival knew he had magic, but he knew he could never use it to harm.

The Great Dragon smiled at him. "You are the first in over a millennia to ask me such a question, gentle knight. You are right, Magic is not a weapon that is good or evil depending on its wielder. No, magic is an untamed force of nature which flows through with the elements and only befriend a few beings. The young warlock is the rarest of them all, he has the whole of magic diverted through his soul."

Percival understood that, much to the dragon's surprise, and nodded. "So regular sorcerers are like farmers who move the water to their crops instead of waiting for the rain."

Kilgharrah's eyes widened in awe. "No human has ever made such a perfect comparison. Yes, and witches and warlocks are like the Romans who diverted entire sections of rivers to their needs."

"And Merlin controls all of the water in the earth, seas, and air, limited only by the limits of his physical form." the quiet knight added.

"You truly have a remarkable grasp on the abstract. After the world calms, I would like to converse with you in greater depth." That was not something one often hears from a dragon, so Percival agreed graciously.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

As the light of the sun began to shine into the cave, Merlin stirred. All conversation halted when the pile of blankets by the small fire shifted.

When Merlin had collapsed, his internal fire was but a dim spark instead of its usual roaring bonfire. His body became cold to the touch. Percival had spent half an hour warming him up to just being cool before piling blankets, ones Merlin had stored here in the cave as well as the ones they had brought with them, on top of the exhausted man. The fire had been created as a thanks from Kilgharrah.

But neither of the philosophical pair had expected Merlin to wake up so soon, not after how much that spell had taken out of him. But there he was, slowly rousing.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

Merlin could feel it. The sun was calling to him, offering its strength.

He felt the weight of the blankets on top of him. This was not the first time he has woken under a mountain of blankets. It had happened several times when he had worn himself down and then caught whatever illness was going through. It had happened when the veil had been torn. And most recently, it had happened after he was recovering from his poisoning.

Knowing he wasn't strong enough to get out from under here and into the sunlight, Merlin reached out to Kilgharrah's mind and gave the dragon the idea of what he needed.

Merlin could hardly open his eyes, but he felt everything that was going on around him. But he did not hear Kilgharrah say anything to Percival, but that was who came over to him. He shivered as the covers were lifted off of him by the knight. Being carried by the big man was not nearly as bad as Merlin had expected, but it had only last a minute at most before he was gently lowered to the stone ledge outside of the cave.

As the first rays of light hit his body, Merlin felt the heat in his soul being to grow. As more light touched him, he felt it being pulled into his body. Soon after that, warmth began to pour in from all over, fueling that spark back into the fire it had once been.

After what seemed like hours, Merlin finally had the energy to sit up, and a short while later, to stand, but his eyes remained closed. By noon, Merlin had finally regained enough strength to leave the sun's comforting warmth. Slowly, the power coming in returned to that of what a normal person would feel by standing in the sun.

Turning around, Merlin finally opened his eyes. Both Kilgharrah and Percival were staring at him in awe.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" The raven asked the pair.

"Young warlock, if you had witnessed the sight we beheld over the last few hours, you would appear much the same." The dragon replied.

"That doesn't answer my question." Merlin retorted.

"Actually, it does." Percival pointed out.

At the sight of the man's eyebrows rising in a very Gaius-like manner, The large knight explained. "We are staring because of what you did all morning."

"Which was?" Merlin prompted.

"Look down." Was the reply from the pair in unison.

The spot where Merlin had been laying was frozen and surrounded what appeared to be sleat.

"What did I do this time?" Merlin asked in a fear laced voice.

"You, young warlock, consumed the energies around you to revive your internal inferno. It was quite a sight to behold. The like I have never had the privilege to observe." Kilgharrah bowed as he said that last sentence.

"Percival, did you understand any of that?" Merlin asked with a confused and scared tone.

"You sucked up all of the heat and light around you to stoke up your soul fire." Percival translated.

"I what?!" The words barely squeaked out of his throat.

Nodding, the big man explained. "You started getting darker, like you were in the shadows. Then you looked like like someone who is standing before a bright light so that they appear black and featureless. Then the darkness seemed to form a cocoon around you. You stayed like that for a while before it all faded away."

Merlin just walked to the nearest rock and sat down heavily, his eyes never focusing on anything. In fact, all of his senses were behaving oddly. Because of that, he very nearly miss Percival ask Kilgharrah a question.

"Do you think it was what I said or the fact I said so much that has him so bewildered?" Instead of replying, the dragon burst into laughter.

It took several minutes for ancient beast to collect himself enough to assess the situation. Merlin hadn't blinked or moved since he sat down. The sight caused the dragon's chest to tighten with worry.

"Gentle knight, I think it best that I return you to Camelot with haste. The young warlock has yet to stir and that frightens even me. Go and free the horses, I will take you swiftly back to Camelot. Perhaps his family there will be able to help him."

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

Apparently this was not the first time Merlin had done something like this, because Hunith knew exactly what had happened as soon as she saw her son in such a state. He just sat there with unseeing eyes and mouth hanging slightly open, but Hunith soon sorted it as she told her brother, the group of knights, witches, and royalty a story.

Merlin had done this before when he was just a toddler. Hunith had broken her leg badly when Merlin bumbled out of the house and saw her. He had hardly used his magic after he had learned to crawl, but he used everything he had to make his mummy better.

He had used so much, that he was as cold as death. If he had not still drawn breath, she would have thought him dead. Only the sun's rays seemed to help him. She had nearly screamed when her baby became engulfed in a black egg of sourceless shadow. Then, as quick as it had come, it faded.

Merlin had seemed fine for a few moments before he had hidden away inside himself. Percival interrupted the story here to say that that was what had happened this time. The knight received eight glares before he quickly quieted and stepped back, letting the story resume.

After a few hours, he began to cry about how everything was too loud, too bright, and too cold. Hunith had quickly bound his eyes and plugged his ears with beeswax, before bundling her little boy in front of the fire.

It took hour for him to finally feel warm, that night she unbound his eyes so that there was mostly darkness. It took over a day before the sounds had not hurt his head. But his sense of touch, from that day on, was always heightened.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

As the group was lost in her story, Hunith bound her son's eyes carefully with the softest cloth she could find, before blocking the sound to his ears with sealing wax. She did not need to wrap her precious child in blankets thanks to the large knight who had done so before the journey back to Camelot.

She had been warned years back by an old witch before she died that each time this happened to Merlin, one of his senses would stay sensitive. She had been relieved when it had only been his sense of touch that had remained so reactive. She had feared it would be his hearing, as it has taken so long to settle and this time, she hoped it was his taste that was affected.

What Hunith did not know, was that there was another time it had happened between these two events. There had been the Dorocha. Luckily for Merlin, the Villia had quickened the normality of his senses, except his taste which had been the one enhanced. But no one knew this but the water spirits. Even Merlin hadn't known why his tongue was so responsive after the entire ordeal.

What Merlin did know was that he could taste poison the moment it touched his tongue. He could distinguish each and every ingredients in Gaius's potions, which was how he was able to enhance them in effectiveness and flavor. And best yet, it helped him figure out what always made Audrey's food taste bad.

It had been a low level curse, nothing too important. It was actually just one of many Merlin had discovered around the castle. Most of them were over twenty years old and none had been added since he had come to Camelot. But that was off topic.

Merlin was going to have an enhanced sense and the knights were silently betting on which one it would be. If Merlin had been able to speak, he would have told them that he was able to choose which sense it would be. But then again, what fun would that be?

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

Morgana hadn't seen Merlin in days before Percival brought him home. She had known the moment he was back in the city. His mind was calling to her and she hear every thought.

She knew she should let him know that she could hear him, but his thoughts were an insight into the man she loved. She wasn't about to tell him, he would clam up faster than Arthur could throw a goblet. If he needed help, she would step in. But for now, She was just going to listen.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

Audrey and Hunith were scheming, Merlin knew it, and by extension, so did Morgana. Sure, sealing wax blocked some of the noise, but Merlin could easily hear them despite it. What were they plotting? Merlin and Morgana courting.

Merlin gave a long, aggravated and mental, sigh. "Morgana and I are just fine! My mother and Audrey have no idea what has happened between us! Why do they feel that they need to butt in and 'help' us get together? We love each other, but neither of us have really had the time for romance lately. *sigh*"

Upon hearing this, Morgana rushed to Gaius's room. She needed to stop those two before they did something stupid! Merlin was right, they knew they loved each other, there was just too much going on right now. Leon's little stunt had been one thing, but the two mother figures in Merlin's life was something else entirely!

The conspiring pair fell silent when Morgana rapped on the door. They both looked somewhat spooked at her appearance, but invited her in. Morgana's face sported a gentle smile when she saw Merlin. She sent out a strand of her magic to let him know it was her, before turning to the women.

"Merlin can hear every single word you two have been saying. Unknowingly, he has been sending his thoughts about what you have been saying to me." Morgana paused to pin the pair with a look.

"Merlin and I have already discussed our bond and decided to talk about it more when life isn't like a non-stop battle. He has not been able to sleep since he got back with everyone talking around him. Now please, be quieter or leave. Understand?" Morgana almost smirked when the two women nodded sheepishly.

"Good. And remember, If you wake him up, I will know." Morgana turned, fixed the blanket that Merlin had complained about on her way here and placed a quick kiss on his forehead.

Once she was out of the room Morgana let the calm facade fall. She had been terrified, not of talking to Hunith and Audrey, but of how much she had sounded like Morgause. That almost smirk had shaken her the worst.

It was moments like this that Morgana needed Merlin. She needed proof that Morgause was gone. Then she remembered. The Statue!

The frightened woman rushed to the caves below the city. She needed to see it. She needed to see the names of those her sister took the lives of. She needed to know that they were not on her soul but that of her black hearted half sister.

Morgana spent at least an hour studying the names and looking at the patterns they formed. The names were in order of their deaths and the newest additions were near the bottom. Morgana recognized enough of the names to realize that.

Uther's name was near the statue's hip, Mordred's was an inch or so from the hem, but the two that broke Morgana's heart was at the shoulder. It was the name of the witch's first victim and the fourth. The names were Elaine, their baby sister, and Gorlois, the man who she had always thought of as her father.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

Morgana had been six years old when Elaine died. The two year old had just began saying full words was to begin sleeping in the empty bedroom in the family wing of the fort when it happened. One morning they woke and she had suffocated in her sleep. No one in the house coped well to this.

Vivienne had taken to refusing to eat or sleep before disappearing, leaving only a note that they would never find her and that she would always love them. Gorlois threw himself into his role as a knight and spent the next four years of his life away from home as much as he could while still spending a great deal of time with his only remaining child before he was killed in battle.

Morgana had barely understood what had happened. She remembered seeing Elaine cold and unmoving, but didn't know what was wrong. The Elaine and her mother were just gone. Her father went away too, but he always came back. He was the one who taught her how to use a sword.

After that first lesson, Morgana trained for an hour everyday, unless it rained. She did this every day until that day four years after the women in her life had disappeared when her father's horse returned, covered in blood, but without her father. That was the day Morgana's world had been turned on end.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

It was midnight when Arthur finally found his sister. He had been searching He had been searching for her since Hunith had told them the story about Merlin and his senses, but had not been able to. At dinnertime, Hunith told them about Morgana showing up and letting her know that Merlin would still hear them despite the wax.

Why it had taken him so long to think of looking down here, Arthur was not sure. In fact, he had only ever come down here once, and that was after the Great Dragon had escaped. The place looked quite different now. It was no longer just sinister and evil, it was beautiful as well.

One of the largest changes was the statue. Arthur was amazed at how perfectly it had captured Morgause's likeness. But he could also see how this place was now a shrine because of this. This was a place to remember those who died at that witch's will and that is why Morgana was asleep at its feet.

The poor woman looked like she had been crying for hours, which she might have for all the king knew. Carefully, Arthur scooped her up into his arms and headed off to Gaius's chamber. But by the time he got to the base of the stairs, his side has burning with pain.

He lower Morgana down carefully before collapsing beside her. Panting from pain, Arthur missed the worried chirps of Aithusa. When she nuzzled him, he jumped, causing the pain to flare.

Noticing how ashamed Aithusa looked, Arthur apologized. "Sorry girl, I didn't hear you."

After giving him a sideways look, the dragon began cooing at and rubbing against the Sleeping Morgana.

Arthur gently pressed around the scar on his side and hissed as fiery needles of pain shot through the area. This was not good. Arthur was in too much pain to move much, Morgana was out cold, and Aithusa was too large get through many of the doorways and was likely to get herself killed by the castle guards trying to get anyone to help.

The hiss must have gotten the white dragon's attention, because only a moment later, she was at his side whimpering sadly. She looked desperate to help, but Arthur was clueless as to what she could do. Gaius, Merlin, and Branwen had all agreed that no more magic could be used on the wound or it would begin badly rejecting the healing spells, so her magic was out of the question. And she still couldn't wander around to find help, so what could she do?

This thought lead to a voice similar to Morgana's sounding in his mind. "Just ask her!"

"Aithusa?" Her eyes snapped to his at her name. "Do you know of a way to get someone to come down here and help me and Morgana?"

An image of Branwen talking to Percival and Leon jumped into the king's mind.

Eyebrows scrunched, Arthur asked something he never thought he would ask. "Did you just send that picture to me with magic?"

Aithusa nodded enthusiastically as her eyes showed how happy she was about succeeding.

"Can you really talk to Branwen all the way from here?" Arthur stopped dead at the Merlin-like glare she sent him. "Sorry, stupid question…"


	24. Chapter 24

Branwen had been asleep when Aithusa called out to her, panicked and rambling a mile a minute.

"Aithusa! Slow down! What is it?" Aithusa never panicked unless Taddy or 'Gana, which the woman was more than happy to be called, was in trouble.

"Father's soul kin and Mistress are hurt down in my cave! He spoke to me! Like Mistress and Father do!" Aithusa had only barely slowed her speech enough for Branwen to make out what was said.

"Wait. The king and Morgana are down in the cavern? Why?" Branwen received a mental shrug from the young dragon.

"How bad are they hurt? How long have they been down there?" Branwen asked as she quickly dressed.

"Mistress seems to be deeply asleep and the king's wound from my sword is open." Branwen winced.

Arthur's wound was serious. There was little they could do magically, and the king refused to rest long enough for the wound to heal naturally. In fact, Morgana was the only one of them that had a decent amount of magic who hadn't attempted to heal him.

Branwen was careful not to wake her grandparents or her father as she grabbed a few rolls of bandages and rushed out of the room. She ran swiftly through the empty hallways, hoping that her uncle wouldn't lose too much blood. She was still worrying about that when she reached the knight's barracks.

Despite the name, the area was a large number of decent sized rooms with a large common area connecting them. The doors were all closed but Leon's. As Branwen approached Percival's door, it opened.

Branwen stepped back in surprise when Leon emerged pulling a drowsy Percival out behind him. Leon was fully dressed and was trying to get the large knight to put a shirt on as he hauled him out of his bedroom. At the sight of Branwen, Leon froze.

"So it wasn't a dream. Did Aithusa send you an image of them down in the cavern too?" The knight asked as he helped his tired friend into his shirt.

Branwen shook her head. "She told me. Is that why you were waking up uncle Percy?"

"Yes. I needed to make sure that it hadn't been a dream. If it was true, we had better hurry. Arthur didn't look too good." With that said they rushed off, with Leon in the lead.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

As they ran, Leon berated himself. His bond with Aithusa had been blooming over the last few days, but he had not acted on the 'dream' until he was sent an image of Branwen tying blood soaked bandages around Arthur's side. Not only that, but Leon had seen Morgana rush down to the caves, but had not even thought to check to see if she was alright.

He and Morgana had spent hours talking about the horrors they had witnessed at their own hands. He talked about all of the druid camps, she had told him about the men the had been killed with her body and magic, even if it had been Morgause controlling them. They had laughed and cried together, but he still hadn't taken a few minutes to see how she was. And with Merlin bed bound again, he was the one she trusted most to help her.

Now, because he had shirked his duty to his friend, she and his king were hurt and stuck down in the caverns. The only upside that Leon could see was that the two of them were not cold. But then again, the cold would have slowed Arthur's bleeding while the heat would increase it. So, there was not a good part of this situation.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

As they ran, Percival scooped up Branwen and sat her on his hip. She hadn't really expected that, but she was glad. She had run to their chambers and running, at a knight's pace, down to the caverns was not going to be fun.

With Percival holding her, the knights ran even faster and managed to get to the two exhausted people at the foot of the prison stairs. As Leon checked on Morgana, Branwen did her best to stop the bleeding from the king's side. As she pressed down hard on the wound, Branwen noticed a faint glow in around the edge of the cloth.

Arthur's own suppressed magic was trying to help. Branwen shut her eyes and gently used her own power to pull the confused stands of magic to where they needed to be. She took her time and guided Arthur's magic in closing the wound from the deepest points and working her way up.

By the time Leon was sure that Morgana had no external injuries, Branwen had gotten the bleeding to stop entirely. Now that the magic knew what to do, Branwen returned to tending the wound the normal way. There was a small amount of blood on the cloth, but nothing serious.

"Is she alright?" Both knights had not expected the words to be placed directly into their minds, which made them both visibly flinch.

"She seems fine, but she won't wake up. How about Arthur?" Leon asked with a mix of worry and self loathing.

"His magic has stopped the bleeding and is holding the flesh together so it can heal properly." This time she spoke out loud.

"So he really does have magic, it is not just leftover from what has been used on him?" Branwen smiled.

"Yes Uncle Percy, it is his. He doesn't have very much and he will never be able to perform spells. It helps keep him health and makes him heal quick. It might give him slight magical protection and increases his senses." Percival and Leon glance at each other.

"So it just gives him a better chance for survival?" Leon asks hesitantly.

The child nodded as she scrambled over to look over the Lady, to make sure Leon didn't miss anything like he did last time. As she checked Morgana's head, she remember something.

"Where is Aithusa?" The trio looked about, but the young dragoness was nowhere to be seen.

"Aithusa? Are you hiding? Percival won't hurt you, he is like Uncle Leon. He would like to meet you." Slowly, the poor twisted beast wandered into the light.

Percival's eyes filled with sadness at the sight of her. "He warned me, but his description was too kind…"

As the dragoness tilted her head questioningly, Branwen spoke while checking over the unconscious witch. "She wants to know who warned you."

"Kilgharrah. He and I talked for a while before Merlin woke after healing him." He directed his answer at Aithusa, but is was meant for everyone to hear.

"How is he? Taddy hasn't told us anything about him yet. Is he alright?" One look at the child's face showed that she was just as worried about her father as she was the Great Dragon.

"Your father took several hundred years off of Kilgharrah's age. It took more power than any other magic user has ever possessed. But, they will both be fine." Leon had an odd look on his face a Percival spoke.

Nodding, Branwen finished her examination of Morgana. "She isn't hurt, just exhausted. She should sleep till midday."

Without a word, Percival walked over to Aithusa, rubbed the base of her deformed horns, before picking up Arthur and began making his way back out of the cavern. Leon followed carrying the sleeping witch. After sending comforting thoughts to the dragoness, Branwen hurried after them.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

The next morning, no one was any the wiser to what had happened that night. None of the three talked about it, and they didn't mention it to the sibling either. If Arthur or Morgana wondered how they were returned to their rooms, free of injury, neither asked about it.

Days passed, Merlin, with Morgana's encouragement, picked his sight to be the sense that remained heightened. It took time, but soon he was used to being able to focus on incredibly tiny objects and those at great distances.

Branwen began spending as much time as she could with her father and Morgana, who despite the fact she had been living in the castle for weeks, only a dozen people knew of her presence. Branwen loved sneaking the lady through the castle into the gardens to watch the first rays of the sun strike the frost on the plants growing there.

They had several spots where they would sit and talk. The gardens, the west tower, the cavern, Morgana's new room, and the kitchens late at night after the servants had gone home. Merlin would join them when he wasn't writing up the new magic laws for Arthur.

Morgana and Bran, as Morgana had taken to calling her despite Arthur's and Leon's objections to name shortening, had nearly choked on their dinner when Merlin declared that since he was writing the new magic laws by himself he was not going to be the court mage. He then stated that that role was made for Morgana, who went deathly pale at the idea. The High Priestess accepted the post, but wanted Arthur to wait until a year after the lift of the ban to appoint her.

Branwen just sat there and listened to the adults talk.

"Why a year? Do you not trust me? Or is it the people?" Uncle Arthur fumed at he paced beside the table.

From her seat, Branwen watched Morgana calmly reply. "Of course I trust you. I just think the people and your allies need to get used to magic being free before you place the most powerful magic user they have ever seen, and mostly negatively, as your magical adviser."

"Mithian and Annis are two of your best allies, Arthur." Her father pointed out.

"Lot, Odin, and Bayard hate me, if you didn't know. I don't even know you is ruling Amata now, but I am likely not viewed favorably. On top of that, most of the magically community wants me gone as well. It is safer to wait." Bran marveled at the fact that her Aunt's voice never faltered from her steady tone, despite the pain and fear in her eyes.

"I don't like hiding the fact you are not the evil witch they all think you are. You should be allowed to live freely." At this point, the king plopped down in his chair and glared at the food nearly making the child laugh.

"It is just a year. A year in which we can show everyone that I have changed. That is all I am asking." With that said, she pushed a plate of food in front of him. Bran watched the king play with his food like a toddler.

"Fine, but I still don't like it." To emphasize his point, Arthur jabbed his fork into a grape which squirted juice right into his face. As those at the table laughed the heavily pregnant Queen walked in, though it looked more like a waddle to the young woman giggling at the table.

In the three weeks since her exam by Gaius, Guinevere's belly had grown to the point that she looked like she was nearly to term. This had caused quite a stir in the council. So much so that Arthur retired more than half of them and gave their spots to their sons or nephews who served as Knights of Camelot. These young men knew better than to question Merlin and Gaius's medical knowledge.

Poor Gwen had never expected to grow this large and she still had two more months before the babies were due. Her face had darkened several shades and grown oily, her hair had become nearly uncontrollable, and her feet and back hurt constantly. She could barely force herself to eat and Merlin's mint and lavender tea was one the only reliefs she had other than sleep.

That was why she had interrupted the dinner in Morgana's chamber. "Merlin."

Everyone in the room pitied the queen when her voice held so much fatigue and sounded so broken. Merlin got up and ushered his pregnant friend to the nearby bed. "Is it your back again?"

Gwen nodded and laid her head on Merlin's shoulder as he gently massaged her neck and back.

Everyone in the room, including Branwen, knew that Merlin had experience comforting expecting mothers. Bridget had carried two, four and a half kilogram babies nearly to term, so Merlin could easily compare the two pregnancies. He just applied what had worked for his wife to his almost-sister.

Arthur had been jealous at first, but after seeing all of the pain that the actions brought to the warlock's eyes, his feelings shifted to pity. Morgana knew how painful dealing with Gwen's aches and complaints was for her Love, but was glad to see that it didn't stop him from helping. Branwen thought it was cute, but she didn't know how much her own birth had scarred her father's view of baby-making.

After a few minutes, the Once and Future Queen of Albion was asleep in the arms of Emrys on the bed of the last High Priestess. But then again, this was Camelot. Nothing normal happened here.


	25. Chapter 25

The past month seemed to fly by. Merlin had spent most of that time split between his daughter, Morgana, Gwen, and writing the new magic laws. As much as he had wanted to, he had not had the time to help Gaius with potions and tending the sick, but Hunith had been filling in, so Merlin did not feel too bad about it.

He had completely rewritten everything. None of the laws from before the Purge had been any help. The old laws had prohibited various magics, even if they were being used for good. Necromancy was considered evil in the past. But if used correctly, it could be used to ask the dead about who had killed them so justice could be served, to allow loved one to say their goodbyes, to verify lineages and inheritance, or question dead enemy soldiers to protect the kingdom from invasion.

What irritated Merlin the most was that he had to list all of the good ways to use various types of magic as well as the bad and all of the punishments for each of the bads so that the punishment would fit the crime. He had made sure to never list pires or burnings as punishments. Those were a part of the past and should be allowed to stay there.

Morgana had been a great help. She still had much of Morgause's knowledge, so she was able tell him the various ways the witch had used spells and potions for good and evil. On top of that, she also knew where all of the magic related items, books, locations were for him to research types that neither of them had ever used were. It had been a long process, but it was nearly done. All he had to do was get approval from Arthur and Gwen.

Not that Gwen was in any state to be making decisions right now. She was in pain all the time, so much so that just that morning, Gaius had made her stay in bed for the foreseeable future. She was larger than any pregnant woman anyone in the city, shy of Audrey and Merlin, had ever seen.

Merlin did his best to comfort her. He told her stories about growing up in Ealdor, being married to a woman the size of Sir Geraint, and the joys and pains of having a child you hardly ever see, all the while rubbing the sore muscles of her back. Merlin doubted Gwen would be able to take the stress of this pregnancy much longer. He would never admit it out loud, but he was afraid of watching her die in childbirth like Ygraine and Bridget. He knew the Triple Goddess would never let that happen, but the fear remained.

Bridget had been about the same size as Gwen when she went into labor. She had been a strong woman, but the girls had been too much for her body to take. Merlin still blamed himself for her death. The similarity and inverse of how Merlin reacted to his wife's death to that of Uther's was not lost on Merlin. He knew that he could easily have become just as bad as the mad king had been, and he wasn't positive that he would not do something very regrettable if his first friend in Camelot died.

Merlin knew he should not dwell on these things, but he couldn't stop himself. When the dark thoughts got too bad, only Branwen could comfort him. She would cuddle with him, just hugging for hours on end. Hugs were Merlin's weakness. Only three people alive were aware of this fact; Merlin's daughter, his mother, and Gaius. Though Morgana had her suspicions.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

She had seen just how much tension a single hug from Gaius removed from Merlin's shoulders, or how a quick hug from Hunith would change his dreariness into cheerfulness. She had also walked in on a few of the father-daughter snuggle sessions after Merlin had returned from helping Gwen. Merlin was afraid. She understood why, but she doubted Arthur did.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Morgana was wrong. Arthur watched his best friend relive some of his saddest memories as he helped Gwen. He knew Merlin needed to see Gwen survive this. If anything happened to her, Arthur doubted that that anyone would be unaware of the warlock's pain.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Gwen had been asleep when it started, but it soon woke her. Gaius had placed her on bed rest over a two weeks ago due to the amount of pain she had been in. What woke her was the fact that the pain was gone. The aches in her back and neck were gone, but her belly seemed even larger than before.

Curious, the queen attempted to climb out of bed. As she endeavor to untangle herself from the bedclothes, a pain ripped through her like she had never felt before. As she laid gasping in agony, Morgana rushed in.

"Gwen? Oh gods!" The priestess rushed to the door and sent the guards to collect the king, Gaius, and Branwen. She quickly ran back to her friend's side.

"Gwen? Can you hear me?" As she placed her hand on the bed to angle herself to get a better look at the queen's face, she felt something warm and wet.

"I… I think they are coming." Gwen managed to say through her torment.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

When the guard had rushed into the council chamber, it was Merlin who panicked at the news rather than Arthur. The message was no sooner out of the man's mouth than Merlin rushed off to the royal chambers without waiting for the father-to-be. His mind was so focus on getting to Gwen that he did not even realize that he had slowed time to speed his journey.

He arrived at the royal chambers just as Gaius did. Inside, Bran and Morgana were comforting Gwen. When his eyes landed on Gwen he froze. Though he was staring at Gwen, it was Bridgit that he saw.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

As Hunith ran into the room behind the king, her eyes immediately locked on the to deathly pale form of her son. Instead of rushing to help the queen like the others, she walked up to her baby boy and slapped him across the face. The slap had an instant reaction.

His eyes snapped to his mother's as he pulled her into a tight and trembling hug. "Mum! It is happening all over again!"

Hunith smoothed his hair and hushed him. "It is not the same Merlin. Gwen is not Bridgit. Just because she died does not mean Gwen will as well. She needs you to help her, not hide in your memories of the past. Go clear your head. You will need that when the babies arrive."

"I'll take him down to the training fields with me." The mother and son jumped at the voice of the king beside them. "Branwen says she will let us know when it is time. Come on Merlin."

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Arthur practically dragged Merlin down the hallways. The goal given to him was the only thing keeping him from reacting in the same way as Merlin. He needed to put his energy and concentration into something other than thinking about Guinevere's pained cries and moans. Even if that concentration was just keeping Merlin distracted with some basic sword play.

When they arrived at the training grounds, Leon was waiting with two sets of armor and swords waiting for them. There must have been a questioning look on the king's face, because the moment the knight saw his face, he blushed and began explaining himself. As he did this, he began placing the slimmer set of hauberks and vambraces onto Merlin.

"Branwen called to me with her mind and asked for me to make sure the two of you got the birthing off of your minds for a while. So I gathered your and Merlin's armor and brought them down here." Leon punctuated the end of his explanation with a final tug to the strap of Merlin's left arm guard.

"Merlin's armor?" Arthur's face was pulled into a disbelieving smile. "Why would Merlin have armor? He can't even wield a sword!"

Leon's brows shot up as he sent a questioning look at Merlin. The warlock blushed and stared intently at his own boots.

"Merlin! You told me you were going to tell him!" The knight sounded very exasperated.

"I have been waiting for the right moment. Between the magic law, Gwen, and Morgana, I have not really had the time!" Merlin hadn't lifted his eyes from the ground, but he had begun making patterns in the dirt with the tip of his boot.

"You have had time to meet me out here every morning at dawn for the past three months to get your mind off of your past. All you had to do was get him to come with you. I am sure you could have persuaded him." Leon was clearly trying to perk Merlin up.

"I needed that time… It was the only time that I wasn't over thinking everything…" Merlin sounded so pitiful and sad.

Leon reached out and clapped Merlin on the shoulder. "Fine, but you should tell him now."

Merlin's head rose and grin began to form. "Or we could just show him…"

Leon returned the smile and handed him a sword before headed out into the training yard. Merlin jogged to meet him and the fight began.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

That had not been at all what Arthur had been expecting. It had started out slow, and the king was pleased to see that his servant managed to keep a hold of his sword. But then they picked up the pace and Arthur's view of Merlin was once again shattered as Merlin began using moves that Arthur had only seen in tournaments and from a distance. The worst part was that most of Merlin's was the mirror of Arthur's own.

Then it was Leon's turn to shock his friend. He picked up the speed again and began using Mercian and Essetirian moves to counter Merlin's Nemite and Lothian maneuvers. The two fought until they saw Arthur sit down on the bench and cover his eyes with his palms, unable to control his own emotions.

Poor Arthur jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Arthur? Are you alright?"

Arthur almost felt bad for adding more worry to Merlin's eyes, but this other secret that his friend had kept from hidden hurt too bad for him to fully care about Merlin's feelings as of that moment.

"All that times that I worried about where you were and if you were safe during a skirmish… After I found out about your magic, I brushed off those time as you not wanting to reveal your powers to me, and I understood that. But now… You have been hiding this skill from me for gods-know how long and never even thought to let me know, to allow me to focus completely on my own fight, to made me worry less…" Merlin looked infuriated and saddened at the same time.

"You Prat! Do you think I have ever enjoyed hiding things like this from you? If you had known, then word would have spread. I needed everyone to think that I was a harmless idiot, not an intelligent, sword-wielding warlock! People underestimating me is the only reason any of us are alive right now, so I am not sorry this time!" With that said, Merlin stomped off to the nearest training dummy and hacked at it as tears poured down his face.

Arthur just sat there, gaping, unsure of what to do. He was wound too tight to think clearly right now. He had his wife in the midsts of giving birth, a great deal of instability in the council as the new members settled into their new roles, and then there was the issue of Morgana. And now he had prodded one of the sore spots of Merlin's hidden issues. It was like kicking the leg of an overloaded, precariously-balanced, table. It was only a matter of time before it all came crashing down.

"He is both right and wrong." Arthur turned slightly to see his oldest companion settle down on the bench beside him. "He is sorry, but not for keeping this from you, but for upsetting you. He hated hiding this from you, but it was for your own good. Look at him. That is how he looks when he hates himself. I have seen that look far too many times in the past few months. He wants to be fully honest with you, but at the same time, he knows just how badly that pain will hurt you. You both are too stubborn to accept that there will always be pain, just don't let it harden your hearts against the love and happiness there is too."

The chief knight did not wait for a response from his king, he simply excused himself and walked over to Merlin. It was clear that Merlin had a deep pain in him that he hid behind banter and clumsiness, but just now, Arthur could see the weeping hole in Merlin's heart that secrets had formed over the years. The sight of that much pain and self loathing caused knots to form in his gut.

Without thinking, Arthur got up and walked over to his two friends who were in a deep conversation, none of which the king heard. When he was nearly in arms reach, Merlin turned to face his approaching friend.

"Arthur, I-" He has cut off as the man in question pulled him into a tight and apologetic hug.

Merlin didn't waste a moment before he wrapped his arms around the blonde's frame. From a few feet away, Leon's eye's sparkled with unshed tears and happiness. The two men clearly didn't need words to express their feelings and no one should expect them too. They were too stubborn for that.

Suddenly, Merlin went stiff. Arthur pulled back and stared worriedly at the warlock's far off expression. "Merlin?"

His focus never shifted, but words slowly flowed from his mouth. "Branwen is calling. It is time. We need to get back. Now."

Leon watched as merlin's lips moved and eyes glowed. And just like that, the two men in front of him disappeared in a whirlwind. The knight only hoped that Merlin had safely transported them back to the citadel, he didn't want to think about how badly that spell could go...

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Both Merlin and Arthur stumbled as they landed in the servant's chamber off of the Royal suite. Arthur felt sick and Merlin looked like he was about to fall over. As Arthur gripped Merlin's upper arm to steady him, the doom to the main room was pulled open.

"I am not even going to ask how you two managed to show up in here, but I suggest you get in here if you want to witness your children's birth, Sire." Hunith quickly grabbed Arthur's free hand and dragged him, and therefore Merlin whose arm was still firmly in his grasp, into the room.

Gwen was sweaty and flushed, but looked done the worse for ware. Gaius was ambling about with nervous energy. But it was Branwen that drew their attention. Her posture was perfect and her face was plastered into a comforting smile, but her eyes were the most notable thing. They were glowing white. The goddess had arrived.

"I come to welcome the Children of Hope. This day it the true beginning of the Age of the Once and Future King. The earth herself has waited for this moment. Peace has come." All eyes shifted from the god-possessed child to the Queen as she cried out and the world seemed to vibrate the news to all of Albion. The children of the High King were nearly here.


	26. Chapter 26

The magical reverberations ended when the shrill cries of a baby boy sounded in the chambers. He was smaller than many babies, but that was expected when a woman carries multiple infants. He had a thick head of light brown fuzz and dark eyes. It was unclear what his skin tone was as the babe was red from his screaming.

Soon, his sister joined him in his din. She was larger than her brother, but not by too much. She had no hair to speak of, but she had her father's eyes. It took only moments for her to settle down quietly as she was rocked gently by her aunt.

The last baby gave rise to a number of issues. Firstly, it was laying sideway instead of head down and appeared to have the cord wrapped around itself in an unsafe manner. Second was the sapping of Guinevere's energy. She was completely exhausted and seemed to be fading. The last problem was the bleeding.

The second baby had caused some tearing, which cause a good bit of bleeding that could not be stopped until the third child arrived. Merlin had been gently feeding his magic into the tired woman to keep her going and to slow the bleeding, but he was only buying them time. Gaius and Hunith were working to shift the babe so that it could come safely and without issue, but time was of the essence.

Arthur had been handed his son and told to sit in a chair out of their way as they worked. When his daughter was delivered, Morgana and the sweet little girl joined him by the fireplace. After sometime, and some help from Morgana, Arthur finally managed to calm the boy into sleeping. Now they could both hear the worry in the physicians' voices. From there, neither could see what was going on, but heard everything.

"Merlin, can you slow the bleeding any more?"

"I am trying, but her body is resisting my help."

"Gaius! The baby is turning the wrong way! It is winding the cord tighter around itself!"

"Gaius, I can't keep this up much longer. We need to do something, and quickly! I can't loose her like this. Please!"

"Hunith, trade places with me. I am going to try something. Merlin, close your eyes and focus on your task, not the blood."

"Gaius you aren't going to-"

"Hush. I need to do this quickly. Great Mother, allow this mother to raise her children as the babes' own grandmothers were denied."

"Be at peace Healer. Do what thy must. I will see that all is well in the end. Fear not what must be done. All will be prosperous."

"Gaius, what are you doing? Whatever it is it, it is making it harder to stem the bleeding. She can't take much more of this."

"It will be fine Merlin. Just keep your eyes shut and keep Gwen strong."

"Towel! Quick! Hunith!"

"She isn't crying. Why isn't she crying?!"

"Merlin, the baby is out. Heal Gwen. Now!"

"Breath. Come on."

"Little One, let the world hear your voice. Breath."

A cry rang through the room and two sighs of relief could be heard by the pair by the fire.

"Gaius! Something it wrong. I… G'ius…"

"Damit! Hunith! He is falling!"

There was panic in Morgana's eyes when they heard Merlin hit the floor.

"He is fine for now. I will tend the cut once we are sure Guinevere is out of the woods."

"The Queen will be fine Gentle One. Thy son gave her what was needed. Her wounds heal as we watch. The time of worry is over."

Arthur turned as far as he could in his chair, but the curtains blocked his view. Just as he was ready to get up, Gaius came through the hanging cloth with a squirming bundle in his arms.

"You have a second daughter, Sire. I must leave her with you as I need to get back to the Queen." No sooner was the child settled in her father's arm than the old man rushed off.

The princess was nothing like her sister. She had scattered dark curls, as well as her mother's eyes and complexion from the looks of it. She was also much smaller than her siblings, but that didn't matter to her father at all. She was perfect in his eyes.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

It was nearly dark out by the time anyone left the royal chamber. It seemed that the entire kingdom was waiting just outside for any news. They knew that at least one child had arrived, but no one knew how the babe and mother faired.

So when Hunith ventured out to get clean water, she was accosted with question. Instead of telling them anything, she began assigning them tasks; some were sent to fetch blankets, water, or food, two were assigned to firewood. She then send the rest packing by saying that their gathering was detrimental to the health of the royal family by hindering the supplies and helpers. They scattered faster than the time when Uther had announced that anyone who was still in the room in five seconds would be found guilty of sorcery.

Once the supplies arrived and the people were gone, Hunith, Morgana, and Branwen lead a half conscious Merlin from the room. Gaius had been forced to surgically remove the last baby by way of caesarean. Despirt Gaius and Hunith's orders for him to keep his eyes shut, the cries of the third royal babe had lead him to open his eyes. He had already sealed Gwen's wounds, but the sight of the blood and the scar lead him to faint.

As he had fallen from the high bed, he managed to bash his head into the side table and then the floor. That was why his head currently sported a wide gash and sizable bump. It was also why the warlock was currently being lead home by his mother and sweetheart, while his daughter made sure that no one saw them.

It was moments like this that the three worked like a family. Though she rarely saw her growing up, Branwen loved her Grandmother and she had grown very close to Morgana as well. Hunith loved both of the girls, one she had love even before the child had been born and the other she had loved since she had followed Merlin home and helped them fight for their village. She felt she didn't deserve it, but Morgana felt loved and she loved them back.

After all, they were Merlin's girls. They were his family. Why wouldn't they act like it? It came naturally to them like helping came to Merlin, it was simply right.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Merlin woke up in the middle of the night in a bed, the one that Gaius had been using most of the time since Morgana's arrival, with a massive headache. As he looked to his sides and saw Morgana asleep on his left and Branwen on his right. At first he wondered why, but then he remembered what had caused his head to ache. They were worried he would fall out of the bed and hit his head again.

A smile formed on his face and his heart swelled with love for the two beside him. As he settled back into the pillows, he thought about his family, not just those of blood relation, but those who had adopted him over the years. And earlier that day, that family gained three new members.

Merlin fell asleep thinking about those three beautiful children and dreaming of the lives they will one day lead. The boy training with Arthur on the shooting range, his dark hair held back with a cord. The bald babe growing a mass of blonde curls running around after a younger black haired toddler in the corridors. The dark haired one reading a book with an older Branwen and laughing.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

It had been a long night for Gaius, Hunith, and the royals. Not all of the babies would sleep at the same time. Poor Gwen could hardly even doze off without one of the babes crying and waking her. It took all three of the others until dawn to keep the triplets quiet enough for the exhausted to rest.

By noon, two wet nurses were brought in to allow the queen to rest and recover, but only one of them was likely to retain the post. It was after this time that Arthur finally managed to get some sleep of his own. During that time, Gaius informed the council of the news before, he too, retired for some much needed rest.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Gwen and Arthur had never thought picking their children's names would be this hard! They agreed about a few names that were not options. But after three days, they needed to settle on what their children would be called from hereonout.

Finally, they settled on Elyan Thomas Pendragon for their son, after his uncle and grandfather on his mother's side. They decided against Elyan Uther on day one, but they wanted their babies to have two names to chose which they liked when they got older.

The girls had been the hardest to choose for. Gwen hardly remembered her mother and no longer recalled her name, so after two days of searching the records they gave up on finding a mention of her and moved on after even Leon could not remember the name. For the girls, the one who looked to one day have light hair was given the name Ygraine Rose Pendragon and the dark haired one was named Elaine Gwendolyn Pendragon.

Neither royal was expecting what happened after they announced the names. Merlin beamed like a fool and looked over at Morgana. At first she just stood there, open mouthed, staring at the royals. Then she rushed forward and practically crushed her brother with a hug and began crying.

"Morgana? What-" Arthur started but was interrupted by the woman sobbing against his chest.

"Thank you. That was Her name. It is perfect." Arthur looked lost, so he turned to his wife who was also crying.

"Merlin? Do you know what is going on?" Arthur gestured with his hands that Morgana's hug had pinned to his sides.

Merlin smiled with tears of his own in his eyes. "Elaine was Morgana's baby sister's name. She died before her second winter."

Now all eyes in the room were wet, except the triplets who continued to sleep peacefully.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

As Merlin, Gaius, Hunith, and Branwen sat eating a family meal, the warlock asked a question that had been weighing on his mind. "What happened after I passed out in the birthing chamber?"

Branwen blushed and continued eating with her eyes lowered. Hunith smiled secretively as she sipped her tea with a twinkle in her eye. Gaius managed to keep a straight face, but raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think anything else happened after you fainted?" That last word cause the three to bust out laughing.

Merlin's ears reddened and a slow blush formed on his sharp features. "That wasn't my fault!"

Hunith was the first to calm herself, but by then, Merlin was fuming. "We're sorry Merlin. It is just that the moment you were completely out that the goddess made some rather amusing comments. She then blessed the children and told us what to expect."

This seemed to calm him. As he continued eating, the other three shared a look of love and pity for the poor man. But the look was gone when he looked up at them. He didn't need to know what they had been told. It would be easier this way.


	27. Chapter 27

It was a little over a month after the triplets were born that Morgana dreamt of a soft, caring voice of a young woman. "Morgana. You need to rise and bring the one you love to the lake in the woods outside of Camelot. With horses, you can be back in the city before dawn. I will for you both until then. Tell him to bring a strawberry. He will know who the message is from. Awaken now and meet me. There isn't much time."

She woke in a cold sweat and did not even hesitate as she quickly dressed for a ride in the woods on an autumn night. She then rushed to wake Merlin. The words about the fruit barely left her mouth before Merlin grabbed his boots and jacket and rushed down the corridors as he put the items on. By the time she caught up to him in the stables, he had two horses saddled and a few blankets rolled and attached to the saddles.

They rode at full speed through the moonlit forest. Morgana could see the conflict raging inside Merlin. He looked happy and sad and very determined. What on earth did strawberries mean to him that would cause him to react like this?

She was still pondering this when they arrived at the edge of the most beautiful body of water she had ever seen. The moonlight made the tree trunks look like they were made of silver and the leaves glistened like jewels. She didn't need to be told where she was, it was clear in her mind. She was on the banks of Avalon.

She was pulled from her amazement by Merlin's choked back sob. Standing in the water was a young woman wearing one of her old dresses that had disappeared after the Bas- Ah. This must be Freya, his other love in Camelot.

"Hello Merlin." Her voice was the same one she had heard in her dream.

"Freya." Morgana could hear the pain in his voice.

"It has been six years since we last spoke. You were trying to fight an immortal army." Morgana felt her heart tighten. Merlin had turned to Freya to fight her.

"Last time I saw you like this was the day I buried you. I should have been able to save you." Morgana now understood the pain Merlin felt. It wasn't because he still loved the girl, it was because he blamed himself for her death.

"You saved me from my curse and freed me. I have finally found a place where I belong. For me, it is this lake, for you it was serving Arthur. You need to forgive yourself for my death and for what happened to Morgana. She is part of your destiny now." Morgana's mouth fell open as she remembered the last time she had heard those words.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Moments after Merlin's fainting and Elaine was handed off to her father, Branwen, filled by the Triple Goddess, began to chuckle. From where they were sitting, Arthur and Morgana were completely confused. Behind the curtains, both healers sent a questioning look at the white eyes girl, but continued their work.

"It is best he panics now and not during the birth of his future children. I doubteth the Wife of Magic would be pleased by the act." The multiple voices gave the words an amusing air.

It was Morgana who voiced the question they were all thinking. "Who is the 'Wife of Magic'?"

The goddess laughed in earnest this time. She then walked out from the concealment of the privacy drapes and and walk over to the hearth. "Magic will marry thee, my daughter. The last warlock and the last priestess will husband magic back into the land. The children of the pairing will command dragons, will the weather, and heal hurts."

Morgana's eyes widened. "I am to marry Merlin? And bare him children?"

A beautiful smile covered Branwen's face. "Tho love him, and he lovest thee. Thou art part of his destiny. For thou art the only one who can sooth his soul."

"Poor Merlin. He has been the victim of destiny for so long and now there is a new one…" Morgana attempted to turn to look at Merlin, but could not.

"Change is nigh. Lineages revealed, titles amended, tasks completed. A new world emergeth from the ashes of pyres."

Morgana turned to face her brother when she saw him smile in the edge of her vision. She quickly noticed that he was holding in laughter. It was like times when they they were young and Arthur knew something that she didn't but didn't want to anger Uther by laughing at her.

"You know something." Her voice demanded answers.

"Yes I do. But you are going to chose which part you want me to tell." He was chuckling now that his mouth had opened.

"Lineages." Her sharp tone made the baby in her arms whimper and squirm.

As she hushed and rocked the little girl, the king explained. "Leon and Geoffrey found Merlin's blood lines in the records. His grandmother on Hunith's side was a minor noble."

Hunith gasped from behind the screen of cloth and a clattering sound followed. "What?!" The woman squeaked.

Arthur blushed in embarrassment as the woman stormed out into the open with a wet mark down the side of her dress. "How long have you known this and kept in from me? I have a right to know this! She died when I was seven! I never knew anything about before she met Gaius and my father."

Arthur had never feared the smaller woman before, but she was terrifying at that particular moment. "Hunith… I… Well, you see…"

"Spit it out!" At the quieted yell, all three babies began crying.

Gaius came out and took the newborn prince and told Hunith to calm down. As the physician disappeared behind the curtain the baby boy quieted. The man returned and relieved the father of his daughter as well and announced that they had woken Gwen.

The king wasted no time and ran to check on the love of his life. As the girls continued to wail, the Triple Goddess began to laugh. Six eyes focused on her with curious looks.

"This room is cloaked in silence to those beyond the threshold, yet there is no silence to be found within."

None of them could help the laughter that escaped them when that information settled in their minds. Hunith was still angry that no one had told her of her family connections, but less so after the goddess's words.

It was quarter of an hour before the babies had been quieted and the queen started to doze off. That was when Arthur crept out from the screened off space to once again face the angry woman. He nearly fled back into the safety of the birthing area when he saw her, but Morgana grabbed his arm with her free hand to stop him. "I want to hear about Merlin and Hunith being nobles."

Gaius made a slight sound as if clearing his throat, but it was enough to get Hunith's attention. The look on his face was one of nearly hidden guilt. "You knew! You knew all of this time and did tell me! Of course, you knew her before I was born. She was part of your life for twelve years."

Gaius straightened his back and faced his sister. "She didn't want you to know. She was ashamed."

"Why? What could she have done that she was so ashamed of?" Her voice had a good bit of longing in it, but she kept her voice down for the sake of the child in her arms.

"She was a high born who was estranged for eloping with a traveling merchant. Her father gave her the lowest title he could without shaming the entire family name. A few years after that was when I met her. She had been thrown from a horse and our father and I were the one's who helped her after that. Father soon began courting her. She never let her father know she was even still alive."

"How could she do that to her family?" Tears pooled in Hunith's eyes.

"She was bitter in those days. It wasn't until after you were born that we learned of her title. She didn't want you to know of her wrongs. So, I kept this from you for more than thirty years." At this point he dropped his eyes from hers, to the child he was rocking.

"So Merlin could have a title somewhere? There might be a way to clear the surname people have placed on him?" She sounded so hopeful that Arthur let the words pour out of his mouth without thought.

"He would be a baron, but his illegitimate nature would not allow your family name to pass to him." The woman turned to him with fire in her eyes.

"My baby was born in wedlock! I won't have his father's honour dragged through the muck! I married that man! I loved him, but your father ran him off on our wedding night!" She was full on crying now.

"You never told me you married him! I have spent the last 26 years believing he used you and then fled!" Gaius sounded mortified.

"Wait. Can you prove your marriage? This could be important." Hope blossomed in the king's chest.

"We paid the king and the priest blessed the ring Bal gave me. I don't know if that is any help." Arthur couldn't help the grin that formed on his face.

"If Lot will relinquish the marriage records to Sir Geoffrey, then Merlin would not just be a baron of Snowdonia, but also an earl of Camelot." Gaius and Hunith sat down in a state of shock and Morgana kicked him in the shin.

"You blooming blinkered duffer! How could you bloody do something like that?! How could you treat Merlin like you have when he is your cousin! You are a gormless prat!" She kicked him one more time before storming off to the window.

"Sweet lady, thy child is blessed with titles of man and magic alike. Emrys is not only blood to the Once and Future King, but also the Last of the Dragonlords, the Master over the Crystal Cave, and Ruler over the Druids and Catha. There are more titles he bareth than trees in the forest." Branwen's body glowed in the light of the flames as she knelt in front of Hunith.

"There was a title you said before that have been curious about, milady." Arthur felt he had to ask, despite his dread of the answer. "You called him the Eternal Man. What does truly mean?"

The Goddess smiled through Branwen's face. "Emrys means Immortal. He will never die. Magic and Loyalty will walk the earth until the day the the gods fade away. Power will go with him for a millennia, before leaving him. But she will return when Courage rises."

"I am Power, aren't I?" All eyes turned to the tear stained face of Morgana.

The Goddess gave a single nod. "Thou art his destiny."

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Merlin was confused. "I thought I was no longer fated to be her destiny and doom?"

Freya smiled kindly. "The two of you were always meant to be. It was Morgause who foiled that. It is said that the love between the Last Priestess and Emrys will last for a thousand years."

Merlin's face fell as a thought crossed his mind. "I will watch her die won't I?"

"Yes, but she will have lived a full life." Morgana placed her hand over his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"It is fine. You only had months with Bridgit, we have a millenia. I love you, and time will only enhance that." Merlin gave her a small smile and gripped her hand firmly.

"I called you here, not to tell you of the future, but to bless it. As of tonight, you two are married in the eyes of the Sidhe and Avalon. The groom may now kiss the bride." Merlin blushed, Morgana beamed, and Freya gave a musical laugh.

As the two kissed on the banks of the Lake Avalon, the Sidhe and Fae dance around them bonding them in magic and soul.


	28. Chapter 28

It took weeks for the two of them to admit to themselves that they had been married. In their defence, they had been busy. Arthur had presented the new laws to the council, which had cause no end of yelling, threats and tears. There was also the slow process of healing of Aithusa. Not to mention Merlin's journeyman ceremony and the reveal that Morgana was once again in the city.

With all of this, it wasn't too astounding that they never talked about what had happened that night. In fact, Morgana would have pushed off talking about it sooner if she hadn't conceived that night. And if they didn't let people know soon, Bran would let it slip once they baby's heart started beating.

When she brought up telling everyone, Merlin seemed to be relieved. It was at that moment that she decided not to tell him about the baby. She still had almost eight months before it came and she didn't want him panicking like he had with Gwen.

Luckily, the triplets had gotten to the point that Gwen was about to sleep for more than two to three hours at a time, but she still have moments where she would snap at someone, only to apologize later. The three of them seemed to comfort each other. When one would wake, the other two would make some noise until their sibling fell back to sleep.

They had also just seemed to learn that they could turn onto their sides and rock back and forth. That was why there was a group watching the babies play on a thick blanket on the floor when the new couple came to tell them the news. Reactions varied around the room. The knights cheered, Arthur gaped, Gaius raised an eyebrow, Hunith smiled, and Gwen glared.

"So you two just wandered off into the woods and had a druid perform a handfasting? And when exactly was this?" She looked liable to strangle someone.

"It was night of the full moon before last and we didn't know it would happen before it did. Believe me, I would never have done this behind your back, and it isn't even binding in the eyes of the law." Morgana made sure she held the queen's gaze as she said this.

Gwen's glare morphed from a scowl to a full blown grin. "Well, we will remedy that."

Morgana could help but smile as she was pulled away from the men by Gwen and had Bran and Hunith followed along behind them. They made plans for the wedding and when the men pulled Merlin out of the room, likely to try and get his drunk, she told them the other news. While two of them squealed in delight at the news, one got a hard look in her eyes.

"Was my second grandchild conceived before or after the night of your magical wedding?" Morgana suddenly understood Arthur's fear of the woman.

"Ne-neither…" She flinched at Hunith's raised eyebrow. What was with this family and those eyebrows?

"Explain. In detail." As the words came out of the older woman's mouth she raised her hands to cover Bran's ears and turned the girl so that she could not see what was said.

The witch blushed as she described the fern glen in the bright moonlight and having their every move watched by the Villia who were to witness the bonding of the two most powerful magic users on the earth. She also explained that that had been the only time they had come together and man and wife. By the end, both young women were blushing, but Hunith just nodded and turned the conversation back the wedding plans as she released Bran to summon Audrey.

In what only seemed like a heartbeat of silence, the child came running back into the room with her great aunt trailing behind her at a slower pace. When the cook reached the group, she held up a hand until she regained her breath.

"Hunith, a word of advice. Next time send a servant. This little rotter told me you wanted me and ran off. I dinna know where you were. I haven't run like that since I was a lass." Her voice was raspier than usual.

"Bran! You know better than that!" Hunith looked at her grandbaby with wide eyes.

"Sorry Nain, sorry Audrey. I'll do better next time." As the girl looked at her feet, the two older women shared a doubtful glance.

The women ended up settling down beside the babies and planning the entire wedding and banquet in that single sitting. The wedding would be small, a dozen or so people and the meal would just be fore those who attended the ceremony. The men would go out and catch the meat for the meal as Merlin's last romp as a 'single' man.

Gwen and Hunith made plans to take one of Morgana's dresses and altering it to serve as a bridal gown. Chambers for the couple was arranged to be ready for their 'first night' as man and wife. They even settled on where and when it was all going to happen.

At about that time in their conversation, the babies started fussing and crying. As Gwen and Rhosyn, the wet nurse, feed the triplets Hunith and Morgana explained to Bran why they weren't going to tell her father about the baby. Everyone agreed not the tell Audrey about the pregnancy until there was no hiding it.

The woman wouldn't tell anyone, but they all knew she would show her happiness and that would put the entire serving staff on alert. But if she did tell someone, it would likely be Gwaine as those two had formed a very close relationship. And it Gwaine found out, he would let the whole thing slip by congratulating Merlin.

So they weren't letting the head cook know that there was going to be a new member to their odd little family that wasn't exactly little anymore. Afterall, with the babies, hers included, there was fifteen people in their mixed up and oddly close group.

As Morgana stood there reeling from the thought of having so many people in her life, Rhosyn offered her Elaine. Morgana had been taking every chance she could to hold the babies, especially the runt with her sister's name. So she didn't think twice before taking the girl and laying her across her shoulder and gently patting her tiny back.

Elaine fussed at first, but then she let out a burp that everyone in the room heard and caused the woman holding her to jump. For a split second, Morgana pictured holding her own child. It would have pale skin and dark hair like her and Merlin, but it would have light blue eyes, Merlin's nose, her ears… Then it really sunk in. She was going to be a mother, not just a stand in for Branwen and Aithusa or a close aunt like she planned on being for triplets, but an actual, biological mother.

She couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her. The others thought the merriment was due to the baby belch, but Morgana knew better. It was laugh of true happiness. She was free, utterly and completely. And that was all she had ever want other than to be a mother, which she was soon to be, since she had been brought to Camelot after Gorlois's death. For the first time in nearly twenty years she was happy and free.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

After all of the wedding plans were made, Morgana retreated to the dragon cave to check on Aithusa. Over the past few weeks, the poor thing had been through a lot in the name of healing. With Kilgharrah's help, she was placed under a deep, enchanted sleep before her deformed bones were rebroken and set correctly.

Her wings had been cut and torn by the Sarrum's men. Now, they were finally growing back they way they had been meant to. It turned out that a dragon's tears mixed with a powder of it's shell could be used to mend that dragon's flesh. When the tears Bran had collected the night of Morgause's death ran out, Kilgharrah woke the Aithusa enough to ask her to cry without her feeling the pain of her numerous broken bones.

Morgana had been the one who managed to pull the poor thing out of her memories of their years in the pit. But by that time, the white dragon had filled a pitcher with her tears. thankfully, that magical salt water was not in vain. The tears of pain seemed to have more of a healing effect that those of happiness, but that could just be because the memories in those droplets were tied to the injuries they were mending.

Dragon healing was beyond Gaius's knowledge, so he handed the task to his journeyman ward. So Merlin put a great deal of his time and energy into his soul connection to the magnificent beasts. Morgana loved watching him tend to Aithusa and comfort Kilgharrah when the behemoth second guessed the whole process.

She had seen how much he loved his daughter, it was incredibly sweet to watch. Now she got to see his love for the dragons under his care and it was beautiful. Seeing how loving he was just made her happier that she was married to him. And now that she knew she was carrying his child made her feel safe knowing how much he would care for their baby.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

Morgana hated the council just as much now as she had growing up. They thought they were above everyone, sometimes it seemed they thought they were better than Arthur. But right now, she was loving the looks on their faces. None of them had expected Arthur to force them to pass the new magic laws.

Some of them had been easily convinced, but that was mostly the oldest of the group and the newest. Lord Geoffrey had been open minded, but was hesitant to pass anything until he had proof that Morgause had been in control of Morgana all of those years. Seeing the statue in the cave had more than enough to convince him as well as a number of the other lords.

In the end, it was five of Uther's most devoted supporters that stood in Arthur's way. Arthur told them they had a choice; pass the laws or face a dragon. None of them had believed that there was any dragon other than the small white one from Camlann, so they refused to sign off on it. Their faces when Kilgharrah landed on the training field that night was something Morgana would forever cherish.

The next morning, the new magic laws were announced and copies were placed on the wall in every inn and tavern in all of Camelot. Messengers were sent out to all of the neighboring kingdoms letting those rulers know of the change. A few asked to come for a visit to see the heirs and to discuss the agreements between their lands. Others such as Rodor and Annis, stated their continued alliance.

When Arthur read Caerleon's queen's response, Morgana's stomach felt cold. She felt she needed to apologize to Annis, but how could she do that? She was pregnant, soon to been married to Merlin under the laws of Camelot, and the woman would likely try to kill her rather than listen and a written letter could never have the correct effect.

As if he had heard her thoughts, Arthur announced that he was inviting all of the nations sharing borders with Camelot to a summit in two months time. Morgana quickly counted the the weeks and realized that would be before she was likely to show, but after the time she was likely to lose the baby.

She had lost that vile thing she had carried less than a year ago and she had been told by Gaius that any child she conceived could easily be lost within the first ten weeks. But she would be a little over 17 weeks when all of the royal arrived. If the baby survived that long, it would be more important to her than peace with Annis, but if she wasn't afraid the woman would do anything she might risk it.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊˳∙*. =======)=o

It was only a week after the lift of the ban that Arthur announced that Camelot's new journeyman was to be married. Most of the court gave brief congratulatory comments while Gaius and Geoffrey beamed. If fact, it was the old librarian who asked of the bride. Morgana lowered her head as Arthur told them. The outcry was deafening.

Since Morgana was of royal blood, she was a commodity to them. They thought Arthur would marry her off to some lord to buy some loyalty, not marry her off to a servant turned healer. They were all silenced by a clattering noise as queen Guinevere picked up and dropped an empty silver platter that had been on the table.

"I believe my husband had been speaking when he was rudely interrupted by your protests of his decision." Morgana felt proud of how far Gwen had come since she had been her servant.

"Thank you Guinevere. As I had been trying to say, the man is a perfect candidate for her hand. He has ties that until now have been kept secret. In fact, Merlin himself is unaware of most of this information." Morgana felt bad for her husband, he was going to be the last to know about all of this.

Arthur spent the rest of the hour long meeting explaining Merlin's status and titles with Geoffrey's help. In the end, most of the councilmembers could not dispute the wisdom of Merlin and Morgana's union. Those one man had the nerve to ask for the the couple to be sent off to the de Bois estate.

Gwen was the one who shot the man down. She explained that both Merlin and Morgana were needed in the city. She explained that Morgana needed to be around to verify that the new laws were being followed and that no one was wrongfully accused of practicing illegal magic rather the legal variety. And she deferred to Gaius about Merlin's importance to the health of the kingdom.

Morgana nearly laughed at the hidden joke about the city falling without Merlin being around. Add in the faces the men at the table were pulling, she was hard pressed to keep her face straight. But her pride in her family held her until all of the nobles were out of the room. Once they were gone, she laughed good and long with Gwen and Gaius.


	29. Chapter 29

She truly wanted to tell her husband, but she also wanted him to be relaxed and happy. Letting him know this early on would be beyond stressful for both of them. She was worried enough without making sure Merlin wasn't running himself into the ground in panic. Morgana knew better than to to hide her pregnancy from Gaius, but asking him not to tell Merlin felt horrible.

She waited until she knew Merlin was off with Arthur and the knights before she visited Gaius. The man seemed content to sit at the table reading and looked at least a decade younger than he had been. Morgana knew Merlin was stoking Gaius's magic up and getting it to flow through the old physician's body, but the visible effects were a sight to behold.

She must have stood in the doorway for quarter of an hour before gathering enough nerve to disturb the man. As she stepped into the room, Gaius looked up and smiled at her. For the past few weeks, her chest always tightened when anyone Morgause had forced her to hurt looked at her with love. She knew it hadn't been her fault and everyone told her she was forgiven, but seeing it never seemed to get any less painful.

"Morgana, what brings you to my chambers?" Morgana couldn't even look him in the eye. "Milady?"

Tears were clouding her vision when Gaius lifted her chin. She must have looked miserable because she was gently pulled into a hug and the old man started trying to comfort her in hushed tone. That just made the guilt worse and she started shaking and crying.

She wasn't sure how long it took, but she finally gained some control of herself and the tremors stopped and the tears slowed. She didn't understand why it was getting so hard to keep from crying. She had gone without them since she was eight years old.

She hadn't even shed a tear when Gorlois died. She hadn't wanted her new guardian to see them. Morgause had made her cry a few times, but those hardly counted. Now she couldn't see kindness towards her without feeling like bawling her eyes out.

It wasn't until the tear tracks dried that the physician spoke again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She nodded and then shook her head as it rested on the old man's shoulder.

"Does this have any connecting to your upcoming wedding?" This time she shook her head and then nodded.

"Ah. Is it about Merlin?" She didn't mean to, but she started crying again.

"Does this have to do with not telling Merlin a certain secret that his mother let slip to me this morning?" She pulled back and raised her head to look him in the eye before giving an emotional "Mmhm." of agreement.

"Is that why you came here?" He was so understanding that she felt even worse than before. As she dropped her head and nodded, he pulled her back into the hug.

"It's alright. I understand why you don't want to tell him until much later on. It is also why you are having trouble controlling your emotions." She shook her head in denial.

"How can all of you be so kind to me after everything you have seen me do? I was no more than a monster." Her voice was thick with tears and muffled by his chest, but Gaius understood what was said.

"We know it wasn't you behind those actions, so we forgave you. What you need to do is to forgive yourself. Monsters don't feel guilt and Morgana, you are not a monster. now why don't we sit down and talk about the baby?" She didn't understand how, but Gaius managed to relieve her fears, cheer her up, and get her excited all in a few breaths.

The next hour or so flew by with a physical exam, talking about what to expect over the next few months, and a magical peek into her womb. There was some damage from the earlier miscarriage, but a quick spell from Gaius set it to healing. The old physician also gave her a list of foods to eat and avoid as well as a number of excuses if Merlin of one of the knights asked questions about her morning sickness or emotional moments.

Over the next few days she used every single one of those excuses. She also used her upcoming wedding to explain away a few things as well. She wasn't sure how she going to keep this up if she used every reason she could think of to misdirect them and she wasn't even two months along.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Merlin was a nervous wreck. The entire council demanded to part of the wedding and the following feast, Morgana was ill, and it was only a few weeks until all of the royals of Albion would begin arriving in Camelot. And he just wanted to runoff and hide in the forest, but it was his wedding day, he couldn't do that to everyone.

At his first wedding, Will had tied him to a chair until an hour before the ceremony. After that, he had held on to him with an iron grip that left a nasty mark. Bridget had berated her brother for the bruising, but had also hugged him for making sure the wedding happened.

She hadn't blamed Merlin. He had been fourteen and barely even knew her. Their first time together had been over a month after their marriage, as she hadn't wanted to pressure him. That had been Will's job.

He missed Will and he could really use him right now. At least his and Morgana's union at the lake had been sudden and he hadn't needed to think about it before hand. Three weeks of this had been too much.

If Arthur and the knights hadn't been keeping him company and taking him to the tavern with them every night, he might have run before week one was over. Try as they might, they had not managed to get him drunk yet. Two nights before, they had tried to spike his ale with poteen. He switched flagons with Leon when no one was looking and watched as the knight got roaring drunk. The next day, it was fun to watch everyone come to him for a remedy while glaring at him for not feeling as bad as they did.

They had kept his mind off of all of this, but now he was alone in a room waiting to be ogled at by the entire council! He was waiting to walk and talk in front of a group of men who saw him as the idiot servant of the king turned physician. He was shaking with nerves and there was no one to there to calm him down.

"I'm here and everything will be fine." Merlin calmed as Morgana's presence filled his mind.

"I am so glad you are here!" He sat down and focused her magical signature.

"Aren't you glad you didn't run off into the woods?" Merlin blushed.

"Have you just been listening to me talk to myself in my mind?" He felt her chuckle through their link.

"Your chatter has helped me stay as calm as I've been. I am just glad you were this frightened at your first wedding day." Merlin glanced down at his chair.

"I was worse then. I threw up three times before I tried to run. Will understood, but he knew how important it was that I married his sister. That was why he tied me to the chair." As the memories rushed back to him, Merlin could no longer sit in the chair and began pacing.

"It is normal to be nervous. I would be worried if you weren't. And don't mind the council. We are already married, nothing they can say or do will change that." Merlin stopped and dropped his head.

"It isn't the council I am afraid of failing." Merlin could feel Morgana smile.

"Arthur won't care if you came in covered in dung and speaking gibberish." Merlin chest tightened.

"I hadn't thought about Arthur! Oh Gods! I am never goin-" His mental rant was cut short by his wife.

"Merlin! Calm down. Gwen will keep him in check. But if it wasn't Arthur you are worried about, who is it?" Merlin shuffled his feet.

"You. I don't want to make you look bad in front of the council, our friends, and family." Merlin felt a warmness rush through him.

"Merlin, I love you. I have seen you make a fool of yourself over a hundred times. If you slip up during the ceremony, I will still love you just as much if not more. Everything will be fine. Oh, and your mother is on her way to see you. Act surprised." And just like that, Morgana's cool, calming presence was gone.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Arthur only felt slightly bad for what he had done. Gwen and Morgana would likely make him pay for it, but it would be worth it. After everything, Merlin deserved this.

That night in the forest after Merlin had revealed his magic, Arthur had seen great deal of what Merlin had gone through over the years since they met. Merlin had been the one who paid the price for everyone's mistakes. Now, the king felt he needed to repay and compensate his friend for all of the pain and misery Camelot and Uther had put him through.

Lifting the ban on magic had been for the entire kingdom, not just for Merlin. It had been from Leon, who could never have been able to continue following the laws. It had been for Percival who, despite having magic, had been a knight who stood true for Camelot. It was for Morgana, his sister who had been scared of herself and then trapped and used by her own sister. Lifting the ban had the only lust thing to do.

Making Merlin the heir to the de Bois estate had been done to give Hunith a home and peace that she had been denied for the last few decades. It was to give Branwen a chance to be whoever she wanted. It was a place Merlin and Morgana could live during their millenia together. That was for more than just Merlin.

But this, this was so that the world stopped looking at him as a dimwitted, servant who didn't know his place. After today, Merlin would hold a title that had not been used in Camelot it over a century. It had been Geoffrey's idea.

During the wedding feast, Merlin would knighted as Camelot's Royal Cleric. The description of the role states that the person holding this title needed to be a person of healing, be able to hold their own in a fight, and hold their king in the highest esteem. No one in Albion fit this description better than Merlin.

With this title, Merlin would hold one of the highest ranks one could have. Only the royals and Leon would have more power. Arthur and Gwen would have the most say, followed by Leon as the First Knight, then Morgana as Court Sorceress, and then it would be Merlin with his new title. Even their children would have less power until they came of age.

All that needed to happen was Merlin or Morgana not to panic and call off the wedding. Money had been placed on both of them with most of it sitting Morgana's illness causing the ceremony to be postponed. Personally, Arthur bet that Merlin would trip and lose the rings they were going to exchange. It was only an hour until the wedding, so everyone would know soon enough.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Gwen was amazed at how well Morgana was taking all of this. She was two months along and had been sick and moody for a few weeks, but today she was calm, composed and hadn't thrown up once. A few time the woman would suddenly smile or chuckle at something, but no one in the room understood what.

Getting all of this together in two weeks had been a challenge. Especially when the council insisted on being present. The ceremony was meant to be small and comfortable, now it was to have a score of witnesses, and fair sized feast, and bridal room still hadn't been completed.

How Morgana could sit there while her hair was arranged with such a contented smile on her face was beyond the queen. On her wedding day, Gaius had dosed her with a calming potion and Merlin had kept Arthur so busy that he hadn't had time to think about the wedding until an hour before hand.

But then again, during that hour Arthur had done a great deal pacing and second guessing. And it was a little less than an hour until one of the biggest moments of her former employer's life. There was still time for Morgana's nerves and pregnancy to get the better of her.

The queen wondered how Merlin was coping. If Audrey was to be believed, Merlin was a complete mess when he married Branwen's mother. Hopefully Hunith would make sure he didn't do anything he would regret.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

The wedding passed in a blur. Merlin remembered how radiant Morgana had looked in her spring green gown with her hair a mixture of loose and bound up with braids and that smile. It was as pure as the one she had given him the day he first gave her flowers his first year in Camelot. Other than that, he didn't remember anything else during the ceremony.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

As soon as the doors opened for her to come in, Morgana's eyes locked on to Merlin's. She could see the unadulterated love there and it brought a smile to her entire face. She had never felt like this before and if this is how she felt for the rest of her life, she would never complain.

She vaguely remembered a few of the faces in the room, mainly the knights and Merlin's family. Her new family. The feeling of pure happiness filled her and she was glad to be sharing it with those in her life.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

The council hadn't liked the idea of the witch staying in the city, especially after she was to be married, but after seeing her looking at her soon to be husband, it was clear this was not the mad woman who had taken over the city twice and had hounded it multiple other times. She was just as they remembered her from a decade ago. If this was the person she truly was, then they would not oppose her living in the city and they wished her peace, because heaven help them if she got angry.


	30. Chapter 30

"I propose a toast! To the Newlyweds and their life together! To Merlin and Morgana!"

As the small crowd cheered, Morgana was silently thanking Gwen for having the serving staff switch her wine with sweet cider. As she sipped the sugary liquid, she smiled in pure happiness. But that was soon cut short. Around the room, people started coughing and holding their throats. Among them were Merlin, Arthur, Percival, Leon, and the other knights.

As Melin fell over into her lap, Morgana panicked. She magic reached into him and sought out the poison and forced it back out of his stomach and then mouth. She didn't care that her dress was ruined by the mess, all she could think about was Merlin.

Across the room, Gaius and Hunith were attempting the same thing, but by different means. It was clear that the wine had been dosed with something, but what? As all of those who had drunk the beverage were made to vomit around the room, Gwaine scanned the room for potential threats.

No one poisoned a wedding without a plan. It was only pure luck that everyone hadn't been struck down. Morgana hadn't been feeling well, so she clearly hadn't been sipping the red vintage. Gwen had decided not to drink alcohol until the babies were weaned. He himself hadn't touched liquor in nearly a year. Why the Lords, Hunith, and Gaius hadn't been drinking some of Camelot's best was unclear to the knight.

As he watched, one person sat glaring at Morgana as she cradled Merlin's wheezing form to her chest. Or was he glaring at Merlin? Then the lord looked at his goblet and pour his wine out on the floor and looked with pity at the couple.

Gwaine relaxed slightly. The man must have thought Morgana had been behind this, but with the way she was tending to Merlin, there was no way she could have done this. But if it wasn't Morgana or that lord, than who?

He watched as Gwen used a spoon to force Arthur to vomit for the second time. Gaius and Hunith seemed to have explained what needed done as the servants and knights unaffected started helping those who had been to purge their stomachs. Within two minutes of the toast, the room was filled with the vile scent of retch and the sounds of labored breathing.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

"Gaius? How are they?" Gwen was wringing her her hands and pacing.

Gaius's shoulders sagged. "I am unsure, milady. I have yet to identify the poison used, but I have discovered one of its properties. It affects magic users more harshly than those without. Most of the knights will be fine by morning. Arthur and Percival will fine in a day or so if there are no more side effects. I am worried about Leon and Merlin though. Morgana removed most of the toxin, but…"

"What is it?" She bit her lip in worry.

"They are both running a high fever, they have not been able to keep down any of the tonics I have tried giving them, and it seems as though their magic is being burned out of them." The man looked towards the room where all of the victims were resting.

"Can you stop it?" Her insides seemed to have gone cold.

He looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "I am looking into it, but their best hope is the Great Dragon."

"How do we summon him if Merlin is unable?" More of her lip disappeared into her mouth as she bit down on it again.

"Morgana and Branwen are in the cave right now waking Aithusa. She should be able to call him to the city." He looked less than convinced that this plan would work.

"Will she be able to do that with the pain she is in?" The queen had only seen the poor beast once, but the extent of the rebreaking and casts had been hard to look at.

"Most of her bones have already healed. It is her spine and wing that are still mending. As long as she does not move too much, she will only be in minimal discomfort. Merlin has done an astounding job of restoring her to her proper form." Pride temporarily replaced the worry in his eyes.

"We will catch who did this. Hopefully before our visitors arrive. I am going check on the children, but I will be back to sit with Arthur." Gaius watched her walk off with a sad smile on his lips.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

When the two of them reached the stairs to the dragon cave, Morgana was barely keeping herself together. She was fourteen weeks pregnant, it was her wedding day, and her husband was fighting for his life as a poison slowly snuffed out his very soul. All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry.

Luckily for her, when they reached the main cave, Kilgharrah was waiting for them. Without thinking, She raced over to the dragon and wrapped her arms around his foreleg. She told him the entire story quickly and with tears pouring down her face and onto the limb she clung to.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

The Great Dragon had come wh quickly as he could en he felt the young warlock's mental screams of pain. He hadn't know what had happened, but he knew if the witch had been behind it, he would see her die. He would take Merlin and Aithusa's anger, it would be worth it to ease the transition into Albion.

When he reached the cave, there was only the sleeping form of the healing young one, but soon enough, Morgana and Branwen came running in. He stiffened as the witch grabbed him, but Kilgharrah's tense posture soften as he finally allowed himself to see that she had changed. She was so much like Merlin had been in those early years that he listened patiently as she tearfully recounted what had happened.

By the end he was enraged. How dare someone attempt to kill his soul kin! There was very few poisons able to do what she had described all of which were made for a single purpose. They could kill an immortal.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Arthur was barely conscious, but his hearing was working over time to pick up the hushed conversation on the other end of the room.

"Gaius! Did you find out what did this?"

"Indeed. The poison is Cercis siliquastrum, a rare toxin known by many names, Backstabber's Draught, Wizard's Woe, even Loyalty's End. There is only one place in Albion where it can be made. Milady, who ever did this has ties to Amata and I fear Morgana was its intended target. Usually, the poison would not have affected anyone without magic. But the wine it was mixed with had been spiced with spices that made it even more toxic."

"Will they be alright?"

"The effects have already faded from the knights and lords, and Percival and Arthur are well on their way to recovery."

"What about Merlin and Leon?"

"There is nothing else I can do for them. The poison is meant to kill those who do not die."

"But Leon ca- Oh!"

"Milady, I believe Sir Leon in the Loyalty the Triple Goddess spoke of and this could very well be his end."

The voices continued, but the king's tire body pull his senses and mind back into unconsciousness, but he dreamt of his two closest confidants walking slowly through the forest, but time seemed to race past them at an alarming rate.


	31. Chapter 31

For what seemed like years, Merlin's blood felt as if it was on fire while his body felt as though it was encased in ice. The pain was the worst he had ever felt, and that frightened him. This was not what he had expected.

He rarely drank, and when he did it was usually to test Arthur's wine or with the knights down at The Raising Sun. It had only appeared be two goblets of watered down wine, but it must have been more than that for him to feel like lava was coursing through his veins. Even the wine laced with the Mortaeus flower hadn't hurt this much.

Poison. That must be it. It explained all of his symptoms. But if he had been victim to the toxin, who else had been effected? Arthur? Gwen? Morgana?! His heart beat erratically at the thought.

As his pulse raced, he felt a fiery hot pressure on his forehead and then on his neck, just under the jaw. Wait, that was a hand checking his temperature and pulse. Gaius!

Merlin managed a small smile before falling back into oblivion.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

It took the combined power of the dragons and the triple goddess a full week to completely purge the toxin from the bodies of the two immortals. By that point the entire kingdom seemed to be exhausted. It was only a score of days until the royals were to begin arriving in the city and the poisoner was still loose.

Arthur was nearly back to his full strength. The magic that usually strengthened him was slow to return and the worry for his two closest friends seemed to tire him a great deal. But now that they were on the mend he could breath easier.

They had kept the news about the two men quiet. Most of the city thought that Merlin and Morgana had gone off to celebrate their union and had taken Leon, Gwaine and Percival as protection. In actuality, they were in the guest quarters nearest Gaius's chambers. Audrey made sure they were supplied with everything they needed and saw that those who delivered the supplies kept mum about it all.

Hopefully they would be recovered by the time the summit started, but it was unlikely. The poison had ravaged their bodies as well their magic. With the the extent of the energy drain, it would likely be a month before they could return to regular duties and look as if it had never happened.


	32. Chapter 32

Leon was strong enough to stand and greet the early arriving royals, but was sent back to bed soon after. Merlin was still bedridden in his and Morgana’s new chambers under the close watch of his mother, wife, and daughter. The story that had been spread was that Merlin and the knight had eaten some bad fish and the former servant had been hit worse than the blonde on their way back to the city.  


This was both to help hide the fact that someone had tried to poison a member of the royal family and cover up the fact that Merlin and Leon had both been killed by a potion that targets immortal magic wielders. The Warlock was in no position to defend himself if he was attacked due to this knowledge, so everything was kept quiet. Also, it would not benefit Camelot for its neighboring kingdoms to know weakened the city had been not but weeks before.  


Luckily, the first to arrive were close allies: Lord Godwyn, Princess Elena, and her husband, Prince Rodrick as well as King Rodor and Princess Mithian. In fact, it was Elena who noticed Leon’s tiredness and pointed it out to Guinevere, who sent him to bed. Mithian had seemed distracted for some time until her father told her to just ask where “he” was.  


It turned out that the princess was looking for Merlin. She seemed shocked to find out that he was now a noble of the court, sick, and was recently married. She didn’t ask who he had married, so no one brought it up. This turned out to be a slight issue when she decided to visit him.  


Luckily, Hunith answered the door instead Morgana, because as soon as the priestess heard the voice from the corridor she fled. She had thought about how she would face Queen Annis, but not Mithian who had been tortured by Morgause while possessing her body. She wasn’t prepared to face the princess, not yet anyway.  


If Hunith had been surprised that her daughter-in-law had vanished, she didn’t let it show. Instead, she escorted the woman into the room and over to the bed where Merlin and Branwen were reading a tome on flowers and their uses. It took half an hour to explain the girl to the princess so that she understood why she hadn’t known the child existed.  


By the end of the story about Bridget dying Mithian’s eyes were wet, when he told her about how he had nearly given up on life, a single tear fell, and when he told her about deciding to be part of his daughter’s life again, she cried in earnest. She gave her condolences and commented on how that explained a few things about him such as his protectiveness and view on love. When she left, she stated that she would like to meet the woman who stole his heart.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


Morgana was doing her best to keep a cool head but that was very hard for a pregnant woman who was worried about her husband, actively avoiding one of the castle’s guests, and hiding the fact she was pregnant. Add on top of that that Annis would be arriving within the next few hours, the witch just needed some time to herself to cry it out so she could continue the act of being fine. She just needed an hour to let everything consume her so that she could fall apart and then put herself back together, but she needed somewhere secluded to do it.  


That is how she found herself in a place that only Merlin and Gwen ever really visited and that was the Queen’s Garden. It wasn’t that others were banned from the area, it was just one of those places that didn’t go. Knowing this, Morgana let loose all of her pent up emotions and let her magic run freely. Usually she would give herself a quarter of a bell to cry before cleaning herself up acting as if it had never happened, but not this time.  


As soon as she decreased her control, the dam burst and she cried for nearly an hour until she fell asleep there under a newly blooming apple tree in the midsts of a fully blooming garden and laid there for hours. On any other day no one would have seen her, but today they did. Neither person knew what to think of the sight of the High Priestess lying in a bed of flowers, with easily seen tear tracks, as well as her dress being pulled in such a way that her expanding belly was incredibly visible.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


Elena was wonderfully happy to play with and hold the babies. Her enthusiasm was so amusing to see that all of the royals had all but stopped their talks and negotiations to watch her. Even Queen Annis, who had only just arrived, smiled at the sight.  


“She is going to be a very good mother to her baby.” At the sudden, yet quiet, voice all those at the table turned to see a young lady with long black hair smiling at the princess tickling the feet of the infant prince.  


“Bran? What do yo- Oh! Truly?” Guinevere's question was answered with grinning nod.  


“So the Fool was a father.”  


“Branwen Alura!”  


“Oh! A baby?”  


Annis, Arthur, and Mithian all spoke at the same time. Luckily, their exclamations did not disrupt the former changeling's interactions with the triplets. It did however silence all those seated.  


Lord Godwyn was the first to interrupt the calm. “Fools? Babies? Would someone please explain?”  


Multiple mouths opened to answer, but red haired queen was the first to give a response. “Arthur has a servant who follows his master everywhere. When I first meet the boy, he had just been caught following his king into my camp. To stay my hand, Arthur called him a fool, a name that I have titled the man with. When next we met, the servant entertained my court with a wonderful juggling display.  


"The child here is clearly his child, or perhaps younger sister. They bear a remarkable similarity. Hair, skin, build, yet she has different eyes.”  


Mithian let out a tinkling laugh. “That is a very Merlin-like thing to do. My lord Godwyn, young Branwen here believes your daughter is with child.”  


As the woman’s father and husband rushed over to where she was seated on a blanket with the royal babes, Arthur and Gwen turned to the little witch.  


“Bran? Why aren’t you with your father?” Worry tainted her voice.  


“Nain sent me to look for ‘Gana, but I can’t find her.” The uneasiness nearly radiated off of her.  


Mithian sent a sympathetic look towards the girl while Rodor and Annis wore a perplexed expression on their faces.  


“I must ask,” Rodor interrupted. “Why is the child of a servant coming to the King and Queen to find this woman? Surely there are guards who could help her.”  


Only Arthur royal training kept the blush from his cheeks. “It recently came to light that Merlin is my second cousin on my mother’s side. Due to this, he is now Lord de Bois, Baron of Snowdonia, Earl of Camelot, and soon to be Camelot’s Royal Cleric as well as one of my closest advisers. With his new standing, his daughter is free to speak to myself or the Queen.”  


Annis let out a deep belly laugh that took those around her by surprise. “A loyal and noble fool!”  


Mithian quickly began giggling, which caused her father the chuckle softly. While their guests were distracted, Arthur and Gwen quickly got the details of Morgana’s disappearance from Bran. The couple was relieved that the woman had left of her own will to avoid a confrontation with a victim of her past.  


“Sweet heart, why don’t you go let your uncles know about this. They are likely in Leon’s room keeping him from resting. We will help when this is over, if she still hasn’t been found.” Gwen gave her a quick hug before pushing her towards the door.  


The child witch was barely out the door before the entire group reconvened. The royals from Gawant each brought a babe with them when they returned to the round table with large smiles on their faces. Congratulations were given and the talks continued, but Camelot’s queen worried about her friend and former mistress in her current state.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


After talking Leon out of helping with the search, the giant and the rouge split up and began searching the castle. Branwen had been sent to the kitchens to inform the Audrey, who was to enlist any servant who was trustworthy to keep an eye out for the lady. All together, the search took hours, even after the royals joined the hunt.  


The caverns had been searched, the crypts, dungeons, and siege tunnels were checked, rooms scanned, battlements examined, stables inspected, and chambers scrutinized. Even the training grounds and forest had been surveyed. Yet no one thought to see if the Queen’s Garden was occupied, and by this time, it had three occupants.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


Hunith was very worried about her daughter-in-law. She had seen just how much the woman keeping to herself to hide her secret from Merlin and those who might tell him. The Mother of Emrys understood that burden. After all, she had hidden her condition for seven months before she had been revealed.  


Keeping both pregnancies under wraps had been important in their own ways. Morgana’s to allow Merlin to do what he needed to do without distraction, her own had been to keep the village from realizing who the father was as well as to postpone the harsh words about her conduct. Both burdens had a purpose, but Hunith wondered if the lady’s weighty lies were beginning to get too heavy to carry.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


Sleep was naturally kind to the witch for the first time in roughly a decade. She saw no visions, was not haunted by her past, nor was she pressed with worries of the future. She was unaware of the two people watching her with conflicting expressions on their faces.  


For if she had, she would have been hard pressed to sleep again.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Rodor and Annis didn’t know what to think of woman asleep before them. To the king, she was the sorceress who had overrun his kingdom, held him and his daughter captive, and had left Mithian with nightmares that still haunted her, but he couldn’t harm a sleeping and pregnant woman. Annis never thought she would see such a sight. The powerful and proud Lady Morgana, with child, lying exposed and vulnerable.  


Both could see differences in the witch from when they had last seen her. Her hair was brushed smooth, her skin now held a healthy glow, and she seemed to be at peace. Neither royal had seen her like this since her time in Cornwall, over 20 years before.  


“Rodor, I suggest we summon Arthur. Either he will be surprised, or will have some explaining to do.”


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken me over two months to get this chapter out. I hope you guys like it.

Guinevere was so relieved to hear that Morgana had been found that she didn’t even care that it had been Annis and Rodor who had made the discovery. Luckily the messenger had found her before Arthur, which meant she was able to get to her friend and hide the baby bump, before her husband arrived. Thankfully the royals waited until Arthur arrived before asking questions, but the two foreigners did share a look as Camelot’s queen arranged the sleeping priestess’s dress to conceal the signs of pregnancy.

When he finally arrived, Arthur stood next to his wife, who was between Morgana and the visiting king and queen, just blocking the sleeping woman’s face from his sight. 

“Annis. Rodor. I see you found my sister, thank you we have been looking for her all afternoon.”

Both royals were shocked by Arthur’s reaction. Rodor found his voice voice quicker than Annis did. “What is the meaning of this? You are housing your sworn enemy under your roof? The woman who destroyed your father’s mind, took over your kingdom, and held me and my daughter prisoner for Odin? Why?”

The King of Camelot opened his mouth to speak, but he closed it when his queen laid her hand on his arm. “Perhaps you should show them.”

As the two elder rulers shared confused looks at the cryptic statement.

The Once and Future King nodded to his wife and turned to the royals. “Have either of you ever heard of a sorcerer's Soul gem?”

“Indeed I have Pendragon. It is a piece of crystal which holds a magic user’s life force when they die. They are nearly impossible to destroy since the dragons were killed off.” 

Annis’s voice held a questioning edge.

Arthur nodded to her interpretation. “Do you know what the color of the gem represents or what happened to the soul when bathed in dragon’s fire?”

“I do.” She replied.

“Then I think there is something you both should see.” Without waiting for their acknowledgement, the blonde lead the pair away from his sister and towards the cavern of the dragon.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Once the trio was out of sight, Gwen let out a long sigh. She had been careful to keep Arthur from seeing the signs of his sister’s tears. Now she just had to get Morgana somewhere safe and away from prying eyes. With this in mind, she turned to her friend and gently roused her. 

Morgana sat up without opening her eyes and groggily mumbled something about talking tabby cats. The former maid smiled and gently helped the brunette stand up. Now that the sorceress was on her feet, the queen needed to find a place that the woman could stay and be out of sight from the visiting dignitaries.

Her feet lead her as she thought. Her and Arthur’s room was out of the question, as was the physician’s chambers and the one Merlin and Morgana shared. Her old home was currently occupied by family who had lost their coin earner at Stowell and too far out in the city to be an option and the kitchens were far too exposed to be used.

It wasn’t until she reached the door to Leon’s chamber that she realized she had known the answer the entire time. The only people who would be in the knight’s room were ones who knew and cared about Morgana and would protect her for anyone wishing her harm. This was the perfect place for her.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

When the queen entered his room with a barely conscious, tear stained Morgana, Leon felt fear and anger. Who had laid a hand on the lady? Had it been one of the guests in the castle? Internally he was cursing his weakened state.

His thoughts must have been clear on his face because Gwen took one look at his and explained that their friend was uninjured, just very sleepy. Once she was settled in the armed chair by the fireplace, Morgana fell right back to slumber. That was when his childhood friend told him about the princess who had visited Merlin and how Morgana had hidden in the garden and cried herself to sleep.

Leon’s fear and anger faded. He looked towards the sleeping priestess and things suddenly fell together in his mind. _Morgana had been sick the two weeks before the wedding. Morgana hadn’t been drinking the wine. Morgana panicking and fleeing from Mithian. Losing control of her emotions. Having gained weight despite her lack of eating while worrying about Merlin. ___

“She is pregnant, isn’t she? It explains everything. The poisoned wine had been meant for her, but for the first time since her fourteenth birthday feast, she didn’t drink the red.” Gwen refused to meet his eyes.

“She hasn’t told Merlin, or the other knights. If she had the news would have reached me in here. Does Arthur know?” the queen wrung her hands, which was the only answer the immortal knight needed.

“Won’t tell. She must have her reasons for keeping the word of this quiet.” Finally Gwen locked eyes with him.

“Thank you. I just want her to be safe. Annis and Rodor know she is in the city. They were the ones who found her in the garden.”

Leon felt as if he had been doused in cold well water. “What did they do?”

Gwen looked over as the resting woman in the chair. “When I got there they were just watching her. They know she is with child. Her dress was pulled tight across her belly from the way she was laying.”

Leon’s eyes widened. “Do you think they will tell Arthur?”

She shook her head. “They saw me hide the signs before he arrived. I believe they will ask me about it in private.”

Leon nodded in agreement. “I suggest you leave before someone comes looking for you. If you leave now, no one should be able to trace Morgana back here.”

At the suggestion, Gwen went from the timid maid to the proud Queen Guinevere of Camelot. She straightened her gown and dusted the skirt. “I will make it seem that she is hiding my chambers. If the others come here, tell them about the royals knowing so they can be on guard if somethings happens.”

Leon lowered his head. “As you wish your highness.”

After Gwen left, Leon concentrated on his link to Branwen. Since his magic was still weak, it took some time for him to mentally find her. Once he had her attention, he asked her to let the others know that Morgana had been found and was in his chambers. She thanked him and told him to rest before Gwaine and Percival showed up.

Leon chuckled and did what he was told. Soon, he too, was fast asleep. 

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

Since coming to Camelot, Aithusa had grown larger, she was larger than most gryphons, and now had fine scaled were there had once been vulnerable flesh and her horns were starting to grow back. Her back still hurt, but it was nothing compared to those years in that pit. Her wings were still bound in splints in several spots, but they were nearly healed as well. The dragoness had finally been allowed to get up and move by Kilgharrah the day before.

She knew that as soon as her father, sister, or mistress found out she was awake and moving that they would come down to the caves and make her lay down and not let her do anything. She knew they only did it because they cared about her, but she was tired of resting. That was why she had been exploring the cavern that had held her kin for decades when she heard unfamiliar voices from the statue’s location.

Not wanting someone to damage the decorations her mistress had laid out around the stone lady, Aithusa quietly went to investigate.

o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o

“This is extraordinary. I have never seen one so large or intricate before. And the color. Morgause was a practitioner of blood magic if her soul held this much red. Dark magic dealing with sacrifices would explain the black.” Annis’s voice was far from her usual careful tone. 

Arthur had never seen what these banishing ceremonies usually produced. He hadn’t even known that there was a name for destroying a soul gem until Annis had explained it to Rodor on there was down past the dungeons. It had been Morgana who had told him about soul being trapped in crystal being call a soul gem. All he knew was that it had been a practice carried out by dragonlords for sorcerers who went too far with their greed and power.

Annis explained that she had been fostered by a dragonlord as a child and had learned a great deal about their powers.

“Are you saying that this is indeed Morgause and that she had been the one behind the witch’s deeds all this time?” Rodor was standing back from the statue eyeing it warily.

“A have little doubt Rodor. Come. See the names carved into the gown? They are her death tally. Uther himself is listed.”

The elderly king stayed his ground, but nodded his understanding. “I trust your word Annis.”

King Arthur stood off to the side, near the exit, leaning against the wall. He was letting the Caerleon Queen prove Morgana’s innocents without interference. This way, if Rodor was asked if Annis had been coaxed into saying any of this, he could truthfully say the Camelot had not pushed any thought into their minds. 

None of them knew Aithusa was coming until she charged out of one of the side paths, hissing menacingly at the royal pair. Arthur rushed to try and keep the dragonling from hurting anyone, Rodor pressed himself up against the wall to get out of her way, but Annis just stood there.

“Pauó!” At the word, the white dragon stopped in middle of her charge and stared wide eyed at the redhaired woman.

“Aithusa? It is alright. I brought them down here. They are not hurting the shrine, I promise.” At Arthur’s words, the dragoness nodded her understanding without ever taking her eyes off of Annis.

“Arthur!” Rodor whispered loudly. “Why is there a dragon down here!”

“This cave once held Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon. Since Camlann, this has been her home as she slowly healed from the damage the late Sarrum of Amata inflicted on her. She only attack because she thought you were a threat. Isn’t that right Aithusa?”

This time, instead of nodding she tried to voice her response, but it came out garbled and rough.

“It is a good thing indeed that the Sarram has already passed or I would see to it that he died for the damage he has done to this young one.” Annis’s neutral voice was tainted with anger.

“I know several who would agree with you. What you see now is nothing compared to what she had when she arrived. Merlin and Morgana have worked with the Great Dragon to fix much of the damage.” Annis stiffened at the king’s words.

“Young one, show me. Show me what had been done to you.” Aithusa tilted her head questioningly before nodding and blowing a shimmering breath onto the queen.

_Pain. ‘Too dark! Mistress! It hurts so bad!’_

_“It will be alright Aithusa. I will get us out of here. She will take you with us when we get free. I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have let you come with me. I should have let her send you away. I am so sorry!” Morgana’s voice was thick with tears and dehydration._

_The baby dragon could not help the pitiful cry that escaped her as the cuff cut further into her hind leg._

Annis took a step back and shook her head to dispel the memories. Her eyes took on true pity as she looked at the nearly healed dragon. The redhead stepped up to the beast and placed her hand on the end of Aithusa’s snout.

“I will not see harm come to you or your mistress, of that I give my word.” the dragonling purred in agreement and backed her way out of the cavern.

Annis watched until the white figure disappeared from sight. Once Aithusa was gone, the queen turned to Arthur. “I believe I owe your sister an apology. It seems she more a victim than I first imagined.”

“What in Albion was that?!” Rodor’s voice was still a harsh whisper.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the hiatus between posting the story and this chapter. Life has been hectic.  
> Also. this chapter is dedicated to John Hurt (AKA Kilgharrah) who pasted away yesterday.

Morgana woke to the sound of feet thundering down a stone hallway. At first she was nearly in a panic, not knowing where she was until she turned to see Leon sleeping peacefully in his bed. She calmed down somewhat now that she knew where she was, but she couldn’t remember how she got there. She recalled fleeing from The Nemeth Princess, arriving in the garden, and crying until she fell asleep.  
Looking at the knight’s mostly covered window, the high priestess could see that the sun was nearly set. She wanted to know what happened, yet she had no intention of waking the poor man. She knew just how close Leon and Merlin had come to dying. She had felt the absence of the magic she had never realized she could feel until it was nearly gone.  


This was the second time she had been the reason Merlin’s power, his life force, was taken from him. True, it had been Morgause in control when the Gean Canach had been set on him, but this time it was because someone wanted to kill her for the deeds she had done while possessed. Neither man deserved what had been done to them. Morgana just thanked the Goddess that they had managed to stop the poison before it was too late.  
Morgana was pulled from her dark musings as a key was placed in the lock of Leon’s door. Without a thought, she grabbed the knight’s sword from the wall by the hearth and stood between the entrance and the sleeping man, just hidden by the pillar in the center of the room. When Gwaine’s head peered around the door, the mother-to-be relaxed.  


Her eyebrows rose as Percival slid in behind the rogue. They weren’t planning on pranking Leon while he was too weak to stop them, were they? They had done it before. There was no way she was going stand back and watch them take advantage of what happened like this.  
As the men walked cautiously towards her, Morgana slowly backed around the pillar and walked up behind them silently. She smiled slightly when she smacked the back of their legs with the flat of her sword.  


Both men let out a feminine sounding squeak as they turned to face her. She watched as worry lines faded from both knights’ faces. Morgana didn’t know why they had been so tense, but she did realize the two of them had not planned on getting into mischief at Leon’s expense.  


“What are the two of you doing in here?” Morgana’s voice was barely more than a whisper.  


Gwaine’s face went serious while Percival’s broke into a timid smile that seemed odd on a man his size. “Gwen sent us. Annis and Godwyn found you asleep in the garden. Arthur is with them now, but Gwen wanted to make sure you were safe in case they wish to harm you.”  


“That was rather elegant Sir Gwaine. So how did I end up in here?” Morgana felt her face fall into the neutral mask she had perfected growing up under Uther’s care.  


“Bran says that Leon told her that Gwen brought you here after Arthur escorted Annis and Godwyn away.” Percival’s voice was quiet, but his smile was no longer shy.  


“Did someone cause the two of you to switch bodies? I don’t think I have heard you so quiet Gwaine, nor you so excited Percival.” Morgana whispered in slight amusement.  


Leon shifting in his bed cut off any answers the pair of knights may have had. Morgana motioned for them to head towards the door. Once out of Leon’s chamber, she set off further into the barracks.  


She surprised the two of them again by sliding in and out of the shadows as needed without even trying. They finally stopped right outside of Percival’s chamber. Before the large man could retrieve his key, she waved her hand over the lock and walked right in. Both knights stood their staring, trying to get their minds to accept how easy it was from Morgana to sneak through, not only the citadel, but the barracks, which was filled with highly trained soldiers.  


“How did she…” Gwaine asked as Percival said “I thought Leon had…”  


Looking back into the corridor, the royal witch glared at the two, silencing the rest of their sentences. The two shared a wide-eyed look before following their friend’s wife into the room. As they both opened their mouths, she raised her hand to stop them. She shut the door and then turned to them.  


“Leon had only just begun retraining the knights and guards right before the wedding. As for the door, Percival’s protection spell on the lock wasn’t very strong. Now that that is out of the way, I would like to know what Gwen’s plan is.” She looked utterly calm, but inside, she was panicking.  


It was Gwaine who responded. “She told us to make sure you stayed hidden until she and Arthur were sure our visitors weren’t out for your blood.”  


The rogue’s words didn’t really relieve her worry, but she hid that fact. “Since we have nothing to do but wait, who would like a lively game of dice?”  


“With what money?” Gwaine’s face show wariness.  
“Not money, secrets. Who’s in?” Morgana may be scared, but she knew these two wouldn’t let anything happen to her or the baby.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


“What in Albion was that?!” Rodor’s voice was still a harsh whisper.  


“You have never met a dragon, have you Rodor. What a shame. They are magnificent creatures. I used to love playing with the hatchlings during my fostering. I would say the young one here is about three summers old.” Annis’s voice had a wistful feel to it.  


“She is five, but after her time in the pit, it is understandable that she is smaller than she should be.” Arthur hoped he statement would encourage the queen to help him convince the rest of the visiting royalty to accept magic and the continued existence of dragons.  


“I know is was a dragon, no matter its age. I want to know why it did that thing!” Rodor was clearly nervous about the whole event.  


“She was allowing me to relive a piece of her memory. I was able to see, hear, and feel as she did. And mark my words. If another soul tries to lay their hands on that poor beast, I will see to their deaths myself.” Annis’s lips tightened as she glanced back towards the passage Aithusa had taken.  


“I have one question for you Arthur Pendragon. How was she hatched? I heard that Balinor Wledig perished during the Great Dragon’s attack on Camelot. Since Kilgharrah is still alive, does that mean Lord Balinor is as well?” The red-haired queen’s eyes looked almost hopeful.  


Arthur shook his head sadly. “I helped bury him myself. I am sorry, but he never made it to Camelot.”  


Annis sighed softly.  
“Did you know him well Annis?” The elder king’s nerves seemed to have calmed somewhat, but he was still jumping at random cave noises.  


“I never met him, but it was well known that he was the only Dragonlord to survive Uther’s Purge.” Arthur nearly winced at her tone.  


“Pardon my asking, but I never did catch what a Dragonlord was.” Arthur smiled as Annis once again lectured them as they walk. Although this time, they were heading away from the dungeons, not towards them.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


Before Mithian had come by to see him, Merlin had noticed something odd. He could smell everything. His mother’s hair soap, the fact that she had allowed the laundry maids clean her dress instead of doing it herself, and the lingering scent of the fennel and comfrey that she had helped Gaius with that morning.  


And from where he and Branwen had been sitting in the bed, he had smelled the fear radiating from his wife before she snuck out of the room. If it hadn’t been Mithian who been at the door, he would have tried to go after Morgana. He figured she would be back as soon as the princess was gone, but she didn’t.  


Now it was early evening and she still wasn’t back. Bran had gone off to look for her earlier, but she hadn’t been back yet. Someone had come to the door and talked with his mother, but he didn’t know what had been said.  


He needed to know she was safe. Something about how she had smelled was making him worry about her more than he knew he should, but his ‘funny feelings’ had never pointed him wrong before. He just needed to know she was alright and even if he had to sneak past his mother to do it, he was going to find her.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


“My seven beats your snake eyes of a failed twelve Gwaine, so new secret! Spill!” Morgana hadn’t had this much fun in years.  


They had been playing for a good while. This was the second time Gwaine had lost. Morgana had lost a good many, but she had so many embarrassing stories about Arthur as a boy that she won even when she lost. Percival was the reigning champion, having won every round he played.  


“Let’s see. Ah! The first time I met Merlin and the Princess, I saw Merlin use magic and didn’t even know it.” The man looked so proud of himself as he flipped his hair out of his eyes.  


“That doesn’t count. Merlin told us that already.” Percival was having almost as much fun as Morgana.  


“I agree with Percival. Let’s have another, shall we.” The witch’s smile was radiant and honest, showing just how much she was enjoying this.  


Gwaine leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his shoulder length locks. “You see these?” He asked pulling the cord with a ring and dragon scale on it from beneath his chainmail. “I wear these to remember my parents. My father died when I was ten and my mother right before I turned fifteen.”  


The smiles the other two had been wearing faded with that revelation. All three of them were orphans. Morgana had lost two fathers as well as her mother.  


“Both mine died when I was seventeen. Raiders. Cenred did nothing. So, I learned to fight and ended up meeting Lancelot.” Percival received two sad smiles for his short tale.  


“I guess it is my turn.” She said this with a with a self-deprecating chuckle. “I don’t really remember my mother. I know that my father, well the man I knew as my father, always told me she had to go away for a while, but by the time he died when I was ten, she never had come back. I found out, during my time with Morgause, that she had been killed as a sacrifice when I was about six. And then, of course, Uther.”  


After that, they sat there silently. Each of them lost in their own thoughts.  


“Oh! We should let Leon know where we disappeared to! I’ll sent him a note!” Morgana got up from her seat and rushed to the big man’s desk.  


After a moment of searching she found a small piece of unused parchment and wrote a short note. Once she was done she folded it and then chanted a quick spell. As her eyes flashed, the paper in her hand burst into flame. Smiling, she returned to her chair.  


“Umm… Being the only one in here without magic, how does burning your note let Leon know where you are?” Gwaine looked first to Percival, who shrugged, then to Morgana.  


“It was a sending spell. It moves the message from here to there, but it has to destroy the copy here to made make one in Leon’s room.” She knew she was over simplifying how the spell worked, but it got the point across.  


With the sad stories forgotten, they returned to their game of dice. While Percival and Gwaine were playing a round, Morgana felt an odd fluttering in her belly. It didn’t hurt, but it did surprise her.  


“Are you alright? You look frightened.” The concern in both men’s eyes made the sorceress’s heart swell with brotherly love.  


“I’m fine.” She smiled sheepishly at them. “My stomach was just reminding me how long it has been since breakfast.”  


“You did miss lunch. I’ll go get us all some early diner. We can’t have you going hungry now. After all, you are eating for two now.” At Gwaine words, Morgana’s mouth dropped open and her face paled.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


Having a warlock for a child is hard, having a warlock child who seems to always have trouble circling around him is even harder. There had been times over the years that Hunith was convinced that her son had been exaggerating, but after living in Camelot for an extended period, she was no longer so sure. If her last stay and this one were any indication, Merlin had been underplaying events rather than exaggerating them.  


She had nearly lost her boy to a poison that was meant for his bride, a woman who only avoided sharing his fate because she was carrying their first child together. The person behind it all was never found. They then had to hide what happened from most of the city, so that no one knew just how close the poison had come to killing Merlin and Leon, both men that most would never think had magic.  


Now, the two were healing, but slowly. Add in visiting royals from all corners of Albion and a pregnant high priestess that most believed to be evil, and you get the tension that was building now. Morgana had run off, scared and emotional, she was then found by two of the last people that she could possibly have wanted to see her vulnerable like that. Now Merlin, who cannot even stand up without help is panicking and trying to go make sure she was safe.  


That was what Hunith, a poor farmer from the edge of a neighboring kingdom, was currently dealing with. It wasn’t as if things like this were new to her. This was nothing compared to hiding that one’s newborn baby was using magic almost nonstop since he took his first breath and continue doing it for five straight years without end. Compared to that, this was like gathering eggs while the hens were away.  


o=(======= .*∙˳ ̊ ˳∙*. =======)=o  


Queen Guinevere now understood how Gaius felt when Merlin ran off to do something that could get himself killed. She still felt responsible for Morgana, as if she was still under her care. Now, she had left her charge unprotected with the word of an ill man that no harm would befall her. On top of that, she was currently covering for her former mistress, by pretending that her friend was in the royal nursery with her and the babes.  


She was wound so tight that she was half afraid that if Rodor or Annis did show up that she would attack them. Thank goodness, the triplets kept her busy, otherwise she would had had time to overthink everything that happened. It also stopped her from creating countless ‘what if’ situations.  


She had just settled the girls and was trying to get Elyan to sleep when she heard a key rattle in the lock to the nursery. Not many mothers liked the idea of weapons near their children, but Gwen was the daughter of a blacksmith. So, by the time the door opened, she was armed.


	35. Chapter 35

He was willing to admit it. He had panicked at first. Morgana was supposed to be right there, but she wasn’t. He had already felt bad for not being there for her when all the leaders arrived, but there were several reasons he hadn’t been. Now, she had been left with him and she was gone!

He had already gotten out of bed and shakily put on his boots and jacket when he saw the note on his table. Knowing she was with Percival and Gwaine was a relief, but he still wanted to see that she was safe with his own eye. Besides, he was dressed already and Percival’s room was only a short distance down the hall. Well, it might have seemed a shorter walk when he was at full strength, but he was sore and tired by time he got to the chamber door.

He barely lifted his hand to knock when the door opened. Gwaine pulled back just in time to keep from colliding with his superior. The startlement on the rogue’s face was quickly replaced with concern.

“You are supposed to be in bed Leon. Why are you up? You almost died.” Leon hadn’t heard that much worry in the man’s voice since Merlin had thrown himself in front of the Dorocha.

“I was just making sure Morgana was still with you and Percival.” The head night inwardly cringed at the weakness in his tone.

“That’s it. You are going to back to bed. She is fine, but you aren’t.” As the brunette started to pull the blonde down the hall, he hissed a curse in pain and stopped to press a hand to the side of his neck.

Leon didn’t know what to do. He had thought Gwaine had finally gotten over damage the nathair venom had done to him, but the obvious pain his friend was in clearly showed otherwise. Not knowing what else to do, he called out to Percival, hoping the large knight was still in the room with Morgana.

“Leon?” Percival poked his head out of his chamber to see a shaky blonde and a pained brunette.

Dizziness hit the older knight as he was pulled towards the threshold. By the time his head stopped spinning, both he and Gwaine were seated on the edge of Percy’s large bed. Across the room, Morgana and the large man were talking too quietly for him to make out any words.

“I thought your neck was better.” Leon didn’t care that he sounded worried.

“I know. It hasn’t done this since the day after the wedding.” Gwaine’s voice had a broken feel to it.

“I thought it had gone away when you gave up drinking.” Leon really was worried. Not just about Gwaine, but Camelot as well.

“I did.” Leon turned to look at his friend. There was a lot of regret in the ranger’s eyes.

“Then wh- Oh.” Dawning hit him then.

The day after the wedding would have been when everyone but himself and Merlin were getting better. That was before they knew there was a cure. Gwaine had thought he was going to lose both of them.

“Yeah.” Gwaine’s tone was flat.

“And this time?” Gwaine responded to him with the smallest of headshakes that seemed to have caused a good bit of pain.

“Alright! That is enough of that! Both of you! Under the covers, now!” Both men jerked their heads to look at Morgana and they both instantly regretted it.

Leon’s vision went dark and his head swam. Beside him, he heard Gwaine whimper softly in pain.

Leon felt Percival’s large hands guide him to one side of the bed, help remove his boots and jacket, and then was gently pushed onto the mattress and covered. His head slowly stopped spinning and sleep started to claim him. Before unconsciousness claimed him, the head knight heard Morgana muttering comforting words to Gwaine. He fell asleep smiling at the thought of the mighty Lady Morgana, High Priestess of the Triple Goddess, mothering not only Gwaine, but her and Merlin’s unborn child.

o=(======= .‘˳*˳’. =======)=o

Morgana had been floored by Gwaine’s casual reference to her pregnancy. As the rogue headed for the door, she turned the large man sitting across from her. He gave her a small, sheepish smile similar to the one he had given her back in Leon’s chamber.

Before either of them decided to speak, voices at the door caused them to stiffen. After a moment, they heard a muffled curse and the then Percival’s name. The voice wasn’t Gwaine’s and that worried the lady.

The knight got up from his seat and turned to her. He nodded and the sword she had brought with her from Leon’s and then at the small alcove on the side wall. Nodding in understanding, she grabbed the weapon and hid as he moved to the door.

An urgent whisper of her name from the man caused Morgana to peak into the main area. She felt a sad flutter in her chest at the sight of a dazed Leon leaning heavily on Percival’s arm and a hurting Gwaine being gently pulled into the room by the large knight’s other arm. She didn’t hesitate to leave the sword and rush out to help the pained man to the bed.

She knew why his neck acted up like this. How could she not? She had watched as her mouth had formed the words and felt her hand press the small serpent to the very area he had his hand placed now. It may not have been her fault, but she planned on being the one to make it right.

He hadn’t had an incident in nearly a year when the last one had happened the day she had thought she was going to lose Merlin. She had nearly panicked at the sight of Gwaine on the floor with his arms wrapped around his head in pain with a tankard of hard cider spilt on the floor beside him. She had run off to find Audrey, knowing that Gaius, Hunith, Gwen, and Branwen had their hands full trying to save her husband and Leon.

She had been with him for the past couple of hours and he hadn’t been drinking. This shouldn’t have happened and she wanted to know why it had. But that would have to wait since Percival was gesturing for her to follow him to other side of the room.

“What is it?” She didn’t mean to be short with the man, but she wasn’t exactly in the best state of mind right then.

“Gwaine’s neck. It only does this when he drinks and I have been with him all day. Unless someone spiked his goat milk, he hasn’t had any alcohol. Also, Leon shouldn’t be moving. Gaius didn’t even like that he was part of the greeting party earlier.” Percival looked as worried as she felt.

“I know. If it is alright with you, I think Leon should sleep here and I will try to help Gwaine.” Percival nodded and then locked eyes with her.

“Don’t strain yourself. I know how much you care about Merlin and your baby. We care too. Don’t push yourself too far.” Morgana’s chest tightened as the protectiveness and pleading in his eyes.

“How did the two of you find out?” She didn’t need to explain what she was talking about.

“We pieced it together while Gwaine was recovering from the cider he shouldn’t have been drinking. You were sick those few weeks before the wedding, the way you seemed to become overly protective of us, and them there was how you would hold Merlin’s hand to your stomach instead of your face or chest like Gwen did with Arthur.” Morgana felt a slight blush form on her cheeks.

“I am glad you both know, but please don’t tell Merlin. You saw how badly he reacted to Gwen’s pregnancy. We didn’t tell you sooner because we were afraid Gwaine would let it slip to him.” As she said this she turned to watch the two on the bed talk.

“We already decided not to tell him. Gwaine was too worried about the two of you to say anything. He has been wound tight since you disappeared. That was why he was so solemn when we showed up in Leon’s room.” Morgana nodded her understanding.

She was about to say something when she saw Gwaine nod only to freeze in pain. She couldn’t stand to see them both like that, so she decided to act. Walking back towards them, she motioned for Percival to help Leon while she tended Gwaine.

“Alright! That is enough of that! Both of you! Under the covers, now!” She berated herself as she saw them both whip their heads towards her.

Both men slammed their eyes shut. She heard Gwaine’s whimper and it tore at her heart, more so that watching Leon sway in obvious dizziness. She practically ran to his side. She carefully had him lay back and then turn to lay on his stomach while whispering comforting words that she barely even noticed she was saying.

Examining his back and neck, Morgana found a great number of knotted muscles and stiffness. She tried not to feel bad when Gwaine made a pained noise as her fingers and a small amount of magic righted the twisted masses back to their proper position. The stiffness in the knight’s body seemed to dissipate as she dwindled the number of knots. Soon, the whimpers turned to relieved sighs. She continued until his back was free of the twisted muscles before moving to his mostly rigid neck.

She could sense to nathair damage and nearly cried. Using the knowledge her cursed sister had taught her about healing and the viper, she began unweaving the traces of magic the venom had left in Gwaine’s nerves. If you didn’t know to look for it, the magic was easily mistaken for failed healing spells.

She didn’t know how long she had been working on helping the knight, but when she finally straightened up, she realized she was stiff herself. Turning from the bed, she saw that Percival had used part of the time she was working to fetch some food. She sank gratefully into a chair and started to eat.

She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until picked a small bit of fish off the bones and took a small bite. Percival had brought food for four, but by the time she was done, there little more than a single serving left of what was meant to be for Gwaine and Leon. She raised to eyes to look at Percival and saw the amused look on his face.

“Hunith said you were barely eating. I am guessing your appetite is back?” His voice sounded like he was holding back a laugh.

Her blush seemed to set him off. He tried to keep it quiet for the two men asleep on his bed, but failed. Luckily, both men were deep enough asleep that his mirth didn’t rouse them.

As Percival’s laughter quieted, a massive yawn escaped Morgana. At the warning look from the knight, the lady blushed again. She hadn’t slept well since several days before her wedding and today had been the first time she had had a nap during the day since before the triplets had been born. She really wasn’t used to having a choice about sleeping for years, so she just slept when someone would tell her to.

“Gwen sent word that it is safe for you to go back to your room. And Hunith says that she could use your help keeping Merlin from escaping again? She said you would understand.” Percival seemed to be trying to mimic Gaius’s questioning eyebrow, but he failed.

“I have probably worried him half to death...” Another yawn interrupted her.

“Shall I escort you back to you your chambers, Milady?” Perceval had a smile on his face as he stood before her with his hand offered to help her out of her seat.

“I would be honoured, sir knight.” Her voice was playful as she took his hand.

“The honour in mine Milady.” There was a hint of laughter in his words as he helped her to her feet.

“Don’t get any ideas. I may have spent the day in your chambers, but I am a married woman.” This had both of them laughing as they set off for Merlin and her chambers, leaving the two men to sleep in peace.

o=(======= .‘˳*˳’. =======)=o

When Arthur came into the royal nursery after leaving Annis and Rodor alone to discuss the day’s events, he had not been expecting to find his wife standing protectively in front of their son’s crib with a sword. Almost as soon as she saw it was him, she put down the weapon and ran to him. He barely had time to lift his arms before she crashed into his chest and wrapped her arms around him.

Smiling a confused smile, he returned her hug. That was when she started rambling like she used to do back when she worked as Morgana’s maid. She was talking much too fast for him to understand her, so he pulled away from her just enough to interrupt her with a chaste kiss that quickly turned to anything but.

“What were you saying my lovely Guinevere?”

She smiled softly back at him and shook her head. “Nothing. I was rambling like love stuck maid.”

“So all those times you got all flustered and rambled all those years ago, you already loved me?” He had a playful smile to go with his words.

“You, Merlin, Gwaine…” Despite her playful smile, Arthur’s chest tightened.

“Merlin?” The tightness loosened as she rolled her eyes.

“Every maid in the castle was in love with him for the first year he was in Camelot. Maybe if he hadn’t still been mourning Bridget... But then again, he never seemed to notice us. Morgana was the only woman he ever seemed to care for as anything more than a sister.” The tightness returned with the feelings Aithusa had shared with him the night after Mordred had nearly killed him.

“As glad as I am that he didn’t notice your feelings towards him, it makes me sad to think of how lonely he felt all those years while he fought Morgana, not know she was trapped inside her own mind.” He could feel his wife’s agreement as she hugged him a bit tighter.

“At least they have each other now.” A smile formed on his face as his mind returned to the scene he had walked into not but a few minutes before.

“Very true my lovely Guinevere, very true. Now, I would like to know why I was greeted with a sword.” His smile widened as his wife blushed.

o=(======= .‘˳*˳’. =======)=o

“Get back in that bed right now.” Hunith knew her son was worried about Morgana, but he was going to over tax himself at this rate.

“I need to make sure she is alright. Something didn’t feel right before she ran off. Even before Mithian arrived. I need to see her.” Hunith saw his fear and realized Merlin could sense his future child, but didn’t know that he was and that mixed with Morgana’s disappearance had him pushing his exhausted body too far.

“She is fine. Remember?” She knew that it wasn’t enough, but it was all she had to work with.

“Annis and Rodor knows she is here. I need to see she is alright… my magic isn’t strong enough to reach out to her… I…” Hunith understood how helpless he felt, but she also trusted Arthur, Gwaine, and Percival to protect Morgana while Merlin could not.

As she opened her mouth to try once again to sooth his fear and get him back into the bed, when the chamber door opened and the pregnant sorceress and the large knight strode in.

“Merlin Wledig! Get back in that bed this instant!” The carefree look that had been on Morgana’s face as she entered the room faded and was replaced with stern worry.

“Where have you been?! No one would tell me what was going on!” Seeing his wife seemed to dissipate the what little energy he had left and he nearly crumpled to the floor.

Percival caught him before he hit the floor. “You idiot! You are still healing! I swear! You are worse than Arthur, Leon, and Gwaine put together!”

As Hunith watched to two bickered worriedly at each other, she beckoned the now empty-handed Percival to follow her out of the room. Both were smiling knowingly at the couple as they left the room.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken me so long to write this. My life has felt like a traveling circus for a while now, but I think things will calm down after this summer. I am finishing up my degree and will so be reentering the work force. Hopefully, once I am settled into my new routine I will have more time and more of a desire to write.  
> Either way, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.

Three days. It took three days after the first Royals arriving before Gaius allowed Merlin to walk around, and even then, it was only if he had someone there to make sure he didn’t fall. Princess Mithian volunteered daily to walk with him, likely hoping to see who his mysterious wife was. Poor Morgana spent much of her time with Aithusa in the tunnels under the city. Or so she said right before they went to sleep.

Merlin knew she was avoiding the triplets, Gwen, Arthur, and most of the knights in case any of the visitors saw her with them and get angry. He just wished he could help her. By the time she came to bed each night, he was too exhausted to do more than wrap his arms around her before falling asleep.

“You seem lost, my friend.” Merlin looked over at Mithian who was giving him a half smile.

“I was thinking.” Merlin said as a got up from his chair with the help of the princess.

“About your wife?” She seemed genuinely curious.

“Yes. She has been avoiding everyone thinking it will help us.” He could not help but think about how he had not been that different a few years ago himself.

“Ah. So that is why I have not seen her yet. I do wish to know who stole your heart. Describe her to me.” As they walked down the corridors of Camelot, he described the Morgana had had known all those years ago and the one he had as his wife now.

o=(======= .‘˳*˳’. =======)=o

Gwen was on pins and needles waiting for Annis and Rodor to come and talk to her. It had been nearly a week and neither of them had yet spoken about Morgana to her. She was not sure if it was due to Princess Elena spending most of the day with her and the babies or if they were watching from afar to see what Morgana was up to. In her mind, Gwen knew that Arthur had spoken to them and convinced them of Morgana’s innocence, but her heart told her that her friend was not safe around them.

Poor Morgana. She spent her days hiding or moving about in the shadows. She spent most of her time with the she-dragon, but she also followed Merlin and Mithian around in a glamour, spent time with Gwaine and Leon in their chambers, and helped those in need in the lower town, much like she used to.

Merlin and Leon were still healing. It was slow, but they had nearly died. Slow was by far better than death. It was just hard to see her friends so weak and nearly helpless. It was something she had seen too many times in the past. Merlin when he drank that poison for Arthur, when her father had gotten ill during the plague in the water, when that foul man nearly killed Morgana to get back at Gaius, when Arthur was nearly killed by the Questing Beast, Hunith when Arthur was recovering from that, Merlin, Arthur, and Gwaine at the end of Camlann, Morgana when she lost the first baby. These were just some of the times she had thought she was going to lose someone to illness or harm.

But now they were healing, not as fast as she would like, but healing nevertheless. The worst part of that healing process was that she was always afraid that they would get hurt again. She thought constantly about how easy it would be for them to fall down a flight of stairs in their weak state and crack their heads on the stones, how someone might realize why they had been sick, how the person who had done it the first time could get to them again. All that worry was bound inside of her without a release.

She had not been able to sit with Merlin or Leon since the arrival of the other royals, so she worried constantly. It was a good thing Elena was watching the triplets most of the time because she would get lost it all the possibilities. She just needed to see her friends to set most of her worry aside.

She was lost in thought about how she could sneak away long enough to see Merlin when a soft kiss was placed in her hair.

“You seemed distant. What is on your mind Guinevere?” Arthur asked as he walked in front of her chair and crouched down so that their eyes were level to each other.

“I was thinking about when I would finally have time to check in to Merlin and Leon. I have only seen them at a distance since our guests first arrived.” She felt silly once the words were said out loud.

“I know the feeling. I have spent so much time with Godwyn and Olaf the last few days that I didn’t even know Merlin has walking yet. I saw him and Mithian in the corridor and nearly yelled at him to get back in bed.” Gwen smiled as her husband ran his hand through his hair.

“Why don’t we eat with Merlin in his room tonight? Let Branwen and Hunith stay with the children while we dine with my cousin and sister?” Gwen reached up and straightened his hair while checking to see if Elena had heard what Arthur had said.

When it was clear that she has been focused on making the girls laugh rather than eavesdrop on her hosts, the queen agreed happily.

o=(======= .‘˳*˳’. =======)=o

Morgana learned of her diner plans from Leon, who found out from Bran, who heard if from Hunith, who had been given the message by a guard that had been sent by Arthur. As enduring as a chain of messages is, Morgana would have preferred to have heard it directly from Arthur or Gwen, so she did not feel the need to go back and verify that it was not fake information passed along to try and harm her and her family again. It had taken her until an hour before the meal to be sure that Arthur really had sent the first message. That meant she had less than an hour to get ready.

She had been working hard with the blonde knight building her fighting strength back, then she had ended up escorting Leon back to his chambers where she ended up rescuing a bird trapped in his flue, after that she had hidden in the kitchens with Audrey to make sure Arthur was the one who wanted the food sent up and that the cook knew to be extra careful with it and ended up coated in grease and flour. Needless to say, she needed a bath and it would take most of the time she had left for it to be drawn and heated and then she would be eating with wet hair.

Since she had no intentions of allowing that to happen, she did the only other thing she could think of. She summoned slightly warmed water into her tub and bathed quickly and cleaned her hair thoroughly before dismissing the dirty water and using a simple charm to remove the water from her hair. These were things she had done countless times while under Morgause’s control, so she had not expected it to tire her so. Since she still had time before the meal, Morgana dressed and laid down, planning on resting her eyes until Merlin returned from his walk.

She had not meant to fall asleep, nor had she expected to be woken by the smell of food and quiet voices. It had been well before sunset when she had laid down. Now, there was no light coming through the open window and the room was lit by a fire in the hearth and candles around the room.

Merlin was dressed for bed and asleep beside her, snoring lightly. Branwen was curled up at the end of the mattress, still dressed in clothing she had been in that morning. Looking towards the fire, Morgana saw Hunith and Gaius talking by the fireplace.

Morgana sat up slowly to keep her stomach and head from protesting. After the feeling of lightheadedness passed, she carefully got off the bed without waking its other two occupants and approached the conversing pair. She did not get far before Hunith turned to greet her with a smile.

“Sorry for not waking you to eat. Gwen made us all promise not to disturb you and you looked so peaceful like that. I saved you some dinner. It is by the fire to keep warm.” She could hear the hint of worry in her mother-in-law’s kind voice.

“Once you have eaten, I am to examine you. I promise the king and your husband otherwise we never would have gotten Merlin to rest.” It was clear everyone was worried about her.

“You do not need to. I pushed myself further than I am used to and fell asleep. Nothing is wrong.” She really did not want to give them all more to worry about.

“Morgana, you slept through Merlin trying to wake you, the entire meal, Branwen climbing on the bed, and a preliminary exam. You were exhausted. If this happens again, it may be harmful not only to you, but to the child as well.” Morgana’s arms wrapped protectively around her belly at the physician's words, nearly dropping her food in the process.

“That is enough of that. Darling, sit and eat. I know it is hard. I was worried every second of time I was carrying Merlin. I would fall asleep nearly every sat down. It was also why Merlin saw so early. It nearly killed me, but he was fine. The moment he was born, he saved my life and his along with it. I know it is hard not to be scared right now, but you have something I never did. Family that is close by and willing help in any way you need. You need to be careful with your health right now. We all need to stay well. So, eat up and let Gaius look you over. It will put all our minds at ease.” The earnestness on Hunith’s face brought a lump to the witch’s throat.

Morgana nearly sobbed as she hugged the woman. “I will try to do better. It has been so long since I had a choice or someone to lean on. I will try.”

Morgana received a kiss on her hair and soft “I know you will.” before she was ushered to a chair and watched as she ate every bit of her meal.

Once she was done, Gaius checked her over using both his mundane and magical knowledge to check everything he thought was necessary before telling her anything.

“The baby is fine for now, but you are not eating enough. If you get tired, you need to slow down and allow yourself to rest. Your body is working harder than it should right now, so I am insisting that you stay in bed tomorrow. If the strain lessens after that, I will let you go back to your tasks. If not, you may be spending much of the time before the child arrives in that bed. Do you understand?” Morgana was scared but nodded her understanding.

Losing the other one had been a relief, but if she lost Merlin’s child, she would never forgive herself. She had known there was a chance of her miscarrying it since it had not been too long since she had lost Mordred’s. Hearing what Gaius had said chilled her soul and made her heart ache with phantom pains of loss.

The physician placed a comforting hand on her shoulder “This is just a precaution, Morgana. It is just to be on the safe side. Your daughter is doing fine.”

That one word made her go from looking at her feet in forlornness to staring at him in wonder. “Daughter?”

“Congratulations, my dear. You are having a girl.” Morgana felt all her worry wash away as a bright smile formed on her face.

o=(======= .‘˳*˳’. =======)=o

Mithian tried not to think too much about it, but she was sure she knew who Merlin had married. He spoke like her father did when late mother. She was someone who he had loved, lost, and regained. He spoke of the hardships she had faced, the pains she had endured, and the betrayal she had withstood. She was nearly positive she had met the woman before, but it did not make sense at the same time.

If it was who she thought, how could he and the whole of Camelot have forgiven her and allowed her back? Was there a piece of the puzzle she was missing? She kept her eyes peeled for her, but it wasn’t until today she saw anything.

She had been walking with Merlin out in the garden when her companion was informed of the King’s invitation to dine. Once it was closer to dinner time, she had walked him back to his chambers. That was when she got a glimpse of his elusive wife.

She was right. Merlin, the most loyal person she had ever met was married to Morgana Pendragon, the witch who had taken over Camelot twice, took over Nemeth with Odin, locked up her father and forced her to lure Arthur and his men into a trap. The same woman who nearly killed Merlin when she had left him a message about Morgana. So how was has clearly in love with and married to her? She was still pondering it when she joined her father and Queen Annis for their own meal.

“You seem lost in thought dear. What has such a clear-headed princess like yourself so vexed?” Mithian looked up from her meat to see the amusement in the queen’s eyes.

“I saw Merlin’s wife today. Only a glimpse, but the sight of her sleeping is one I am quite familiar with.” Mithian had not noticed she was rubbing the wrist that had borne the magical torture device that had kept her under control when she had been at Morgana’s mercy until her father’s hand stopped her.

“I had wondered how this would come up.” Mithian’s eye widened at her father words.

“You knew she was here! Father!” His eyes showed both remorse and pity, the latter of which confused her.

“We both knew. We have since the day we arrived. Do not fear child, she will not harm you. Allow me to tell you a tale I recently learned from a young dragon.” For the rest of the meal, Mithian listened to a tale of true heartbreak and betrayal as tears ran down her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost left you all on a cliffhanger by ending this on “She was right. Merlin, the most loyal person she had ever met was married to Morgana Pendragon” but I decided to add the rest that you read afterward.  
> Thank you all for sticking around for my sporadic updates.


End file.
